


Love Always Protects

by BabyBoomBoom0029



Series: On Your Side: The Chronicles of Danny and Linda Reagan [7]
Category: Blue Bloods (TV)
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Family, Original Character(s), Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-15 01:02:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 31,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10547366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyBoomBoom0029/pseuds/BabyBoomBoom0029
Summary: When a major case hits too close, how can Detective Danny Reagan keep his family safe? How can he testify if it's going to cost him his wife and children?ever Yours, Never Stop, & Faithfully





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Jen for the prompt idea for this one. SO excited to write it!!! Hope you all enjoy!!!
> 
> So "Faithfully" left of in November around Thanksgiving, this is going to start in January the following year so for anyone trying to keep up Faith and Sam are almost 1yr old, Grace is about 2 1/2, Sean is 16 and Jack is 19, and Danny and Linda have been married 20yrs.

After twenty years of marriage and twenty years of being a cops wife, Linda Reagan could always tell when there was a case bothering her husband. Danny Reagan would come home late, leave early and in between stare at his kids while they were sleeping. Hold his wife just a little longer and tighter. Call her a few extra times if he could. Send officers to drive by the house at night when he couldn't be there to check on his family.

This particular January night Linda woke up to Danny sliding in bed behind her. He spooned up close, sliding his arm around her front, pulling her towards him. Linda involuntarily shivered from the rush of cool air when he moved the covers back.

"Sorry." He whispered.

"You're cold." She held his forearm, "Please tell me the snow stopped. I have an early day with the kids tomorrow." She snuggled deeper into his embrace.

"No snow but it's supposed to ice over." Danny said, "I really didn't mean to wake you." 

"It's alright." Linda yawned, "You know I don't sleep well without you here anyway." She pressed a kiss to his arm around her. Danny dipped his head down kissing the back of her shoulder. He tightened his grip slightly. Linda felt him breathe heavily behind her, "You alright?" She asked.

"Better now." He leaned up and kissed her cheek. Danny could see the bags under his wife's eyes even in the dark room, "Close your eyes. Go back to sleep." Danny said softly.

"Will you be here when I wake up?" Linda asked.

Danny shook his head, "I'm sorry. Probably not."

"Okay. I love you. Stay safe. One gunshot wound a year okay?" She grinned.

"Deal. I love you." Danny rested his head on his pillow holding Linda close wishing he could erase the things he'd seen. But not today. Today's horrors were so terrible he had to figure it out. The perp that put those images in his head needed to be caught.

* * *

"Morning Beaz." Danny walked into the 54th precinct with a cup of coffee in his hands. He felt like he was living on caffeine and fast food over the last few days.

"I think I found something." She said.

"What's up?" Danny took a bite of his bagel.

"So I couldn't sleep last night. Instead I went through this guys phone records. He called the same take out place three times in the last month." Beaz said, "So I called the place but the guy paid cash each time."

"Do they got a record of when they delivered and where?" Danny asked.

"Got the address right here." Beaz held up a post it note she'd written on.

"Let's go." Danny said not even bothering to sit down.

Danny and Beaz had back up with them as they raided the address they were given. It was a perfect bust. No one was injured and every gang member that was rounded up all pointed out the same guy as their boss. Miguel Lacasa. Two of his men gave up his most recent location. Danny and Beaz, along with ESU headed straight for Lacasa's address. 

The second they broke the door down, gunfire rang out.

Danny ran in carefully taking cover while Beaz and other ESU officers came in from the back.

"Give it up Lacasa!" Danny yelled seeing the perp try to shoot, then hide, "You're pinned down! We have your men! You're not getting out of this!" Danny yelled.

"Put the weapon down!" Beaz yelled from the other side.

"No way! You won't take me alive! I'll die before jail!" Miguel shouted.

Danny ducked as shots were fired towards him by Miguel, "Drop your weapon!" Danny yelled at him.

"Never!" Miguel stood knowing he was going to die and shot towards Danny. In seconds a hail of gunfire from Danny, Beaz and ESU rained upon Miguel killing him instantly.

"Danny!? You good?!" Beaz yelled not seeing Danny standing up.

"Yup!" Danny groaned, "That's going to leave a mark. Wife's gonna be pissed." He'd caught one round in the vest by his shoulder he'd most recently gotten shot in.

* * *

That night Danny was home earlier than Linda expected. She saw him wince when Grace jumped into his arms.

"Grace be careful with Daddy. He's breakable." Linda smirked. She knew he had to be hurt somehow but no phone call or text meant it wasn't serious or didn't require more than the mandatory doctor checking it out, "Sean help clear the table please." Linda said making Danny a plate since he'd missed dinner.

"I eat!" Grace smiled.

"You just ate." Linda looked at her.

"Daddy eat!" Grace pointed.

"How about you get some applesauce while Daddy eats dinner?" Linda gave the twins some animal crackers and Grace a small dish of applesauce so she could clean up the kitchen with Sean. Once his chore was done he ducked down to his room not to be seen from for the rest of the evening. Linda finished cleaning the kitchen and putting leftovers away while Danny and the little kids ate together, "I'm going to go give the twins a bath." Linda unbuckled Sam from his high chair first. He'd sit and wait on the floor while his Mommy unbuckled his sister where as Faith would be halfway up the stairs trying to crawl up them by now. Linda carried Sam, who wasn't nearly as adventurous as his sister, up the stairs while carefully helping Grace crawl up them to get their bath started.

Grace wiggled down from her chair at the table and went to the kitchen. She pulled the picture she colored at daycare off the fridge, "Cower!" She showed her Daddy, "Cower!"

"Very pretty. I like your picture!" Danny smiled, "Did you do that at daycare?" He asked.

"Cower!" Grace repeated thrusting the picture in his hands.

"Good job." He held the picture, "Thank you."

"Tank oo!" Grace said still not understanding that she was supposed to say 'you're welcome'.

Danny smiled and watched her run off to play in the living room while he finished his meal. He was happy the case was over for now. Maybe the weekend would bring some much needed relaxation. What Danny didn't know was that when he planned a date night for him and Linda, it would turn into one of the worst nights of their lives. How being in the wrong place at the wrong time would start a domino effect that would almost cost him his wife and children. He didn't know that he'd painted a target on himself when closing the case on Miguel. Danny was blissfully unaware of the repercussions of his actions.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

That night once the kids were sound asleep Linda crept into her bedroom. Danny was in the shower trying to let the hot water melt away the tension in his muscles. Linda quietly started to change into her pajamas when she felt Danny's arms around her bare waist.

"I didn't even hear the water shut off." She smiled as he kissed the back of her neck.

Danny smiled, "Kids asleep?" He held her close.

"Yes. And hopefully they stay that way." Linda leaned her head back on his shoulder, "You get hurt today?" 

"I'm okay. Hit my shoulder that just got done healing up. So it's a little more sore than normal." Danny said, "But I'm fine. I promise. I even was cleared by a doctor."

"Wow. You not fighting medical attention. Miracles do come true." Linda teased. Danny always said he was fine. Even when he wasn't. She always had to push him to be seen or was glad it was mandatory to get checked out if he was hurt on the job.

Danny playfully pinched her side, "Why see a doctor if I have a capable sexy nurse at home?" Danny asked.

Linda giggled, "Probably because  _someone_ is usually more interested in a  _naughty_ nurse than an actual nurse." Linda kissed her husband's cheek.

Danny laughed, "Like you're one to talk. Do you recall what popped out of your mouth post-coitus last time? After I made that naughty nurse comment and we had that fantasy discussion? I do. It was 'you know what might be interesting?' And then I said 'what's that?' and you replied 'you know, we've never used your handcuffs.' But I'm the one that gets teased for a naughty nurse comment when you've been having cop fantasies all these years." Danny watched Linda's ears turn red.

"But they're not  _all_ fantasies. I have my cop right here." Linda turned in his arms to kiss her husband properly.

"And I have my nurse." Danny kissed her back, "God I love you Linda." He smiled. 

"I love you too." Linda saw the large purple bruise on his shoulder and frowned, "How bad does that hurt?" She gently touched around it to see if it was swollen.

"It's like a three on your one to ten chart. It's fine. It's achy but manageable. I took some ibuprofen for it. I'll be okay." He watched her fingertips graze over the bruise.

"I'll check it in the morning to see if it swells up or not." Linda said satisfied that it seemed relatively harmless. Linda turned back to the dresser to pull a long sleeve shirt over her head.

"Why are you putting clothes on?" Danny held her hands to stop her.

"It's cold. Either you warm me up or I'm putting clothing on." Linda smiled.

Danny nodded his head. He wrapped his arms around his wife sweeping her literally off her feet and carrying her the few feet to their bed, "Warming you up. Got it." 

That night was the first night since the Lacasa case Danny slept through the night. No nightmares. No broken sleep. Just safe, warm, happy sleep beside his wife.

* * *

 Saturday night Danny and Linda had gone out together. Sam, Faith and Grace were home with Jack and Sean. Danny and Linda put the kids to bed so Sean and Jack would just have to keep their ears open for their little siblings. Danny and Linda were walking through the city hand in hand unaware that things would go so bad so quickly.

"Can you believe the twins are going to be one soon?" Linda asked, "They are so tiny still." She said. The twins had started to catch up to their peers but being almost two months early, they were still on the smaller side. 

"I can still cradle Sam with one arm he's so tiny." Danny smiled, "How's the party planning going?" He knew Linda had been searching for ideas for their first birthday. It was important for her to make the day as special as she could.

"I was looking online and found a lot of neat cake ideas. But I'm not sure if I want to do it myself or if I want to buy one." Linda said, "I guess it depends on what I want it to look like."

"If it pushes your vote one way, your cakes are always the best." Danny flirted.

"I'll take it into consideration." Linda squeezed Danny's hand. Danny and Linda continued walking down the street enjoying their time together, "Dinner was nice. Although I'm surprised we made it through without a phone call from the boys." Linda smiled.

Danny put his arm around Linda's waist while they made their way through the crowd, "Hopefully that means the little ones will be asleep when we get home." Danny kissed his wife's cheek.

"I wonder if that means Jack and Sean will be asleep on the couch when we get home." Linda laughed. She shivered slightly as snow started to fall.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" Danny paused where they were to hold his wife.

Linda blushed, "You can always tell me again."

Danny looked at his wife with snowflakes in her hair and rosy cheeks, "You look beautiful." Danny kissed her sweetly.

If he didn't have his back turned to the street, maybe he'd have been able to see what was about to happen. But he was so focused on his wife Danny didn't notice the commotion until it was too late. A black car was speeding down the street. Danny turned hearing people scream but it was too late. All he saw was the flash of a gun before he dropped to the ground pulling Linda with him.

"Danny!" Linda felt him shield her with himself as gunshots surrounded them.

"Stay down!" Danny yelled at her as he reached for his gun. He quickly stood trying to get a shot off at the car as they sped away. Danny was able to shoot out the back window and get a partial licence plate. Danny ran back to his wife who was shaking in fear, "Linda!" He holstered his weapon, "Are you hit? Are you hurt?" He ran his hands over her checking for any injury.

"I'm okay. I'm not hurt." Linda couldn't stop shaking.

Danny nodded his head, "Okay." He pulled his phone out, "This is Detective Danny Reagan. Need to report shots fired at my location." Linda clung to Danny as he called in the incident. It was only moments before the street was lit with lights and sirens.

"Reagan! You alright?!" One of the detectives that arrived on the scene yelled out at him.

"I'm good. I got a partial plate and knocked out the window in the car." Danny said, "They took a shot at my wife! Get a unit to my house to make sure my kids are okay!" He barked. Danny wasn't going to let anyone get away with threatening his family.

Jamie ran over to them, "Danny, Linda! You guys okay?!" 

Linda nodded her head, "Yeah. I think so." She wrapped her arms around herself.

"I gotta go talk to these guys. Jamie will stay here." Danny kissed Linda's forehead. Linda nodded her head wordlessly knowing Danny was doing what needed to be done.

"C'mon Linda. Let's go sit in the car where it's warm." Jamie escorted her to his vehicle.

He was stopped by two detectives, "We need to ask her some questions."

"It's okay Linda. It's procedure." Jamie explained.

"Mrs. Reagan, can you tell us what happened." One of them asked.

"Danny and I were just walking together and then the car came by and started shooting. We dropped to the ground, Danny told me to stay down and pulled his gun out. He was trying to shoot back at them. Then he was back at my side and calling it in." Linda said.

"Did Detective Reagan say who he thought it was? Did you see anyone?" The detective asked.

Linda shook her head, "No. I didn't even see the gun. The car was black but that's all I saw. Danny was standing in front of me when he heard the car and then he covered me when we were on the ground and I didn't move till he was next to me again." Linda explained.

"Was anyone following you two? Any thing suspicious going on near you at the time? Or earlier in the evening?" They asked.

Linda tried to think, "No. I don't think so. Nothing. I didn't notice anything and if Danny did he would have stopped it before it happened."

"Okay. Thank you for your time." They two detectives shook her hand.

"Alright Linda." Jamie said, "Why don't you sit her while you wait for Danny." He opened the door to let Linda sit in the warm car.

After twenty minutes Danny came over to Jamie's car, "Kid, can you take her home?" He asked.

"What about you?" Linda looked over at him.

"I'm going to find out who the Hell did this and why." Danny said, "I have a car sitting on the house already and one patrolling the neighborhood." Danny told her.

Linda nodded her head, "Okay. You better come home to me."

"Always." Danny kissed his wife's lips, "I love you."

"Love you." She sighed out of relief that they were okay. Linda sat back in the car as Jamie drove her home. She knew Danny wouldn't rest until whoever took a shot at them was caught.


	3. Chapter 3

Danny didn't come home that night. Linda hardly expected him to but she hated sleeping alone. Especially after a night like they'd just had. In the morning she dropped the kids off at daycare like usual and went into work. They day passed incredibly slow. Linda was counting the minutes as they went by. She was desperate to get her babies and go back to the safety of their home.

After work Linda got home with the kids. She refused to let Sean go to a friends house after school like he'd wanted to. Linda checked the locks on the door multiple times before going upstairs for the night. Linda climbed into bed and called Danny.

"Hey Babe." He answered sounding exhausted.

"Hey." Linda said sadly.

"What's wrong?" Danny sat down at his desk.

"Just wishing you were here. But I know you're busy. I'm not complaining I just..." Linda started to ramble.

"Linda." Danny stopped her, "I wish I was there too." He smiled, "You in bed?" He looked at the time.

"Yeah. I just wanted to say goodnight." Linda grinned.

"Get some rest okay." He told her.

"I love you." Linda pulled the blankets up around her.

"I love you more." Danny grinned.

"Love you the most." Linda yawned, "Night Danny."

"Goodnight." Danny lingered on the phone for a few moments while Linda closed her eyes to fall asleep. Linda fell asleep wishing he was beside her but knowing he was doing whatever he could to keep them safe.

* * *

Danny sat down at his desk searching vehicle records when he finally got a hit. Traffic cameras had caught the driver of the vehicle. Danny and Beaz were off to bring in the guy that was driving the car. It took surprisingly little effort to bring him in. He was drinking at a bar when Danny and Beaz caught up to him. So it was easy enough for them to bring him in while drunk.

While in the box Danny paced back and forth while his partner sat at the table, "You wanna tell me why you thought it was smart to take a shot at me?" Danny asked.

"I didn't shoot at nobody." The kid rolled his eyes.

"Maybe not but whoever was in the car with you did. Almost shot my partner and his wife." Beaz said.

"I don't know nothing." He sighed.

"Really? Isn't this you?" Danny tossed the photos on the table, "That's only a block away from where shots were fired at my wife!" Danny's anger was reaching it's boiling point.

"I told you. I don't know nothing." The kid stood by his earlier statement.

"Nothing." Danny shook his head, "Fine. Maybe a night in lock up will make you remember something." Danny said.

"Jail don't scare me." The punk said.

"No but when it should scare you when she's not here to keep me from ripping your eyes out of that tiny little skull of yours." He said dangerously close to the end of his rope with this kid.

"You can't touch me." The kid crossed his arms.

"No. I can't. But just because I can't touch you doesn't mean someone else doesn't want to make a deal with me." Danny smiled, "So you can either tell me who was in the car or you can hope that everyone in that cell wants to be your friend." Danny threatened.

"He can't do that can he?" The kid asked Beaz.

"I didn't hear him say anything like that." Beaz shrugged her shoulders, "But I'll let you know, my partner isn't really known for his restraint."

"You have till I count to three to decide what you're going to do. One. Two." Danny started counting.

"Alright! Miguel's cousin hired the hit." The kid said, "Now can you get him to back off?!" He asked Beaz.

"Why'd he hire a ht?!" Danny yelled.

"You killed his cousin!" The kid said as if that was obvious.

"So this is payback?!" Danny asked getting in the perps face.

"Yeah. He found out that if you testify in court against Miguel's crew, the whole operation goes down." The kid backed away.

"What operation?" Beaz asked.

"Miguel was just the front man. His cousin was the brains." The kid explained.

"Smuggling drugs?" Beaz wondered.

"Guns." He ratted out his boss.

"Name, address." Danny slid a paper across the desk.

The kid looked between Danny and Beaz clearly scared of Danny, "Pablo."

"Alright. You know where we can find Pablo?" Danny asked.

"Around?" The kid guessed.

"Around where?" Beaz asked.

"Try his girls place." The kid wrote the address down, "That's where I picked up the car."

Danny took the scrap of paper, "This turns out bad, I'm going back for you." He walked out of the room with Beaz behind him. He was determined to find out whoever was behind trying to shoot him and figure out why.

* * *

Linda was sound asleep when she woke up to the sound of shattering glass. At first she thought Jack or Sean might have dropped something in the kitchen. It wasn't abnormal for one or both of them to get up and grab a late night snack. When the smoke alarm started screaming Linda knew something was wrong.

"MOM! DAD!" Jack yelled up the stairs, "FIRE!" Jack and Sean ran up the stairs.

Linda was up in a flash. She ran into the boys in the upstairs hall, "Get Grace!" She yelled as she ran into the twins bedroom. Jack followed his mom grabbing Sam while she yanked Faith out of the crib. Sean was in the hall with a crying Grace in his arms, "Get outside! Now! Go!" She yelled shoving everyone down the stairs. Linda's eyes filled with fear seeing her living room on fire. As quickly as she could she pushed her children out of the house and across the street. She pushed Faith into Jack's arms, "I'll be right back! Stay here!" She yelled.

Jack grabbed his mother's arm the best he could with two babies, "No! Mom! Where's Dad?!" Jack hollered.

"I need to get my phone to call him and keys to move the car!" Linda wasn't thinking clearly.

"Use my phone!" Jack pulled it out of his sweatpants pocket.

Linda paused for a moment, "Right. Okay." 

"Mommy! Daddy!" Grace reached for her mommy.

"It's okay baby. It's okay." Linda took Grace from Sean's arms, "It's going to be okay." Linda saw her neighbors flooding out of their houses, "Someone call nine-one-one!" She yelled.

The neighbor whose yard they were standing in came over, "Is everyone out of the house?"

"Yeah. Danny's working. I just...." Linda tried to keep herself from panicking.

"My husband is on the phone with nine-one-one. You call Danny. Do you need a phone?" She offered her cell.

"Jack had his on him." Linda hugged Grace tight, "The house." Linda watched in horror as the fire raged.

"It's things. Everyone is okay. Call Danny." The neighbor tried to help.

Linda nodded her head. She called Danny's cell praying he wouldn't be too busy to pick up. Her prayers were answered when he picked up on the first ring.

"Jack. You okay?" He asked seeing his son's name come up.

"Danny!" Linda yelled into the phone.

"Linda?! You okay?" Danny could hear sirens in the background and a lot of noise, "What's going on?"

"Danny the house is on fire!" She told him.

"What?!" Danny couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Is everyone okay?! Where are you?! The kids!?" He spun the car he was driving with Beaz in the passenger seat around.

"We're across the street. We're all okay. But Danny everything is inside the house. Fire department is here but the whole living room is on fire." Linda started to cry.

"I'm coming baby, I'm coming. But you're okay? The kids are okay?" Danny drove with lights and sirens as quickly as he could to his house.

"Yeah. We're all okay." Linda nodded her head with the phone in her hands. Danny kept Linda on the phone for the whole ride to his house. When he got there Danny practically jumped out of the car before even putting it in park.

"LINDA!" Danny ran over to her. The fire was out by the time Danny arrived and the kids were inside the neighbors house across the street. It was freezing cold outside and with the snow on the ground they offered their warm home for everyone to wait. Linda sent all five kids inside telling Jack and Sean to watch their siblings.

"DANNY!" Linda looked towards him. She jumped into his arms still shaking from fear, "Danny! Oh my God!" Linda lost all control she'd had up to that point.

"It's okay. You're okay. It's alright." Danny held her tightly, "Everyone is okay. Where are the kids?" He needed to see his babies as much as he needed to hold his wife.

"Inside the Hunt's house. It's so cold." Linda stood with a blanket the Fire Department had given her wrapped around her shoulders. After all, they ran out still in pajamas. Linda hadn't even realized her, Jack and Sean had all slipped on shoes until they were outside. She didn't remember any of them doing it.

"Linda, you're freezing. You need to get inside too." Danny held her close. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms trying to keep her warm, "Let's go see the kids for a minute then I'll see what I can find out."

"Okay." Linda let him lead her into their neighbors open house.

"The twins fell back asleep. And Grace asked for a snack so she had a few crackers." Sean held his little sister in his lap.

"Dad." Jack looked terrified still.

"You all okay?" Danny hugged both his sons then Grace. He patted Faith and Sam's backs while they slept on the couch.

"Yeah Dad. We're okay." Sean nodded his head.

"Daddy?" Grace asked half asleep in Sean's arms.

"Shh little ladybug. Go to sleep." Danny rubbed her back softly, "We're going to go talk to the fire department. You guys keep watching them." Danny looked over at his neighbors, "Thank you." Danny said to them.

"Don't worry about it." The wife smiled warmly, "We're just glad everyone is alright." She said.

Danny and Linda walked back out to the street.

"Detective!" The fire marshal walked towards them, "We found the source of the fire. We're pretty sure we found it. It can't be confirmed until a though investigation but unless you're into tossing around Molotov cocktails this was it. Looks like a brick was thrown to smash the front window, then the cocktail tossed in." 

"How's the house?" He asked. Danny saw the scorch marks from the flames reach the roof. He prayed the house would be alright. They had insurance but he wasn't stupid. Insurance didn't cover everything.

"The first floor sustained the most damage. Obviously the living room being the worst. The fire spread across the floor damaging the ceiling to the basement room. It didn't have much time to get up to the second level." The marshal explained, "But the fire got to the foundation. The house isn't stable and until it's checked out we can't let anyone stay here."

"Can we go in and get a few things?" Linda asked. She'd left the diaper bag inside as well as her phone, purse, keys. Everything was left inside.

"I really can't advise that." The marshal shook his head.

"Let me go in and get a few things. My secondary weapon, spare keys to the cars, Linda's phone." Danny said, "Give me five minutes."

The marshal sighed, "O'Nealy! Take Danny to get a few things from the second level. In and out Detective." He said knowing Danny would just go in later. Especially if he was wanting to get his weapon out of the house.

Linda watched as her husband walked into the charred house praying they'd figure out what to do next. Never in her wildest dreams did she think they'd lose their house. She prayed they'd be able to save the house. They'd lived here since before they were married. She couldn't imagine life anywhere else. Linda shivered in the cold praying this was all a nightmare and she'd wake up soon.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 Linda waited in the cold while Danny talked to every cop and firefighter around. Beaz handed Linda a cup of hot coffee and Linda's coat, "Danny grabbed this from inside." She said holding the blanket so Linda could put her coat on.

"Thanks." Linda took the cup of coffee in her hands, "Does anyone have any idea who would try and set our house on fire?" Linda asked.

"Danny's trying to see what he can find out." Beaz told her, "He's trying to get us assigned to the case." Beaz looked up, "Commissioner." She said startled at Frank's presence.

"At ease." He told her heading straight for Linda, "You alright?" He hugged her.

"Yeah. Just shocked, cold and worried about what to do now." Linda shivered still freezing.

Danny walked over, "We have a problem."

"Just one?" Linda asked.

Danny put his hand on her back, "Neighbors heard the commotion and peeked out to see what was going on. The car they described is a perfect match for the one driven by our friend in lock up." Danny said to Beaz, "Picked up the kid driving the car that shot at Linda and I."

"Pablo?" Beaz asked.

"No ID yet on any of the perps in the car but they ran a red light and the camera snapped a picture of the licence plate. It's a match for the same vehicle." Danny frowned.

"Commissioner." A man in a well made suit walked up towards them, "Supervisory special agent Quinton Rice." He held his hand out, "This is my partner, Supervisory special agent Oliver Saenger. We're from the FBI gang unit."

"Can I help you?" Frank asked with authority.

"Wondering if we can offer our assistance. We heard the call. We've dealt with this crew before. We're willing to help in any way we can. I know if it was my wife and kids home when this happened I'd make damn well sure everyone in the world was hunting down the cowards that did this." SSA Rice said.

"Detective Danny Reagan." Danny shook both their hands, "My wife, Linda." Danny kept one arm around her, unconsciously needing to feel her next to him.

"Detective Maria Beaz. Danny's partner." Beaz introduced herself, "Why don't we compare notes?" She said to the the two FBI agents.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you planning on going with your family tonight detective?" SSA Saenger asked.

"I was going to take them to my house." Frank answered before Danny had the chance.

"Commissioner. I'd recommend a safe house. The last thing we want is for these guys to follow to your house and put even more people in danger." SSA Saenger said, "Last time we dealt with this crew they walked into the school where the person they were hired to hit worked and started shooting innocent kids. They won't think twice to go after the whole family. Do you have any officers on the rest of your family members?"

"Well my youngest is NYPD so he's fine and my father is retired NYPD. I'll get someone on Erin and Nicky." Frank nodded his head.

"We have five kids. Two aren't even a year old yet and then we have Grace who is just two. Jack and Sean are older but we have the babies. We're supposed to go to a safe house with babies? How is that actually safe?" Linda asked.

"It might be the best idea Linda." Beaz said, "If no one knows where you are, they can't find you."

"What about you?" She asked Danny.

"We can keep him from being seen going to and from the safe house. We can't really do that with kids." SSA Rice explained.

"Danny." Linda looked over at him.

"It's a good idea Linda. We stay together. We stay safe. There will be officers with you and the kids at all times to keep you safe." Danny said.

 "But Frank and Pop and Jamie and you can keep us safer." Linda had far more faith in the Reagan's than anyone else.

Danny nodded his head, "I just want you safe. I never want my job to put you at risk." He said honestly.

"You tell me. What's the safest option?" Linda asked Danny unsure of what to do. The safe house would be a good option and probably the best but with kids tagging along Linda didn't know how to keep them all safe without help. At least at Frank's they'd have family to help protect the kids.

"Can we lock down the street?" Danny asked his father.

"Just have to make a phone call." Frank nodded his head.

"Let's get the kids and go to Dad's." Danny said. 

"We can trade notes on the gang." Beaz said to the two FBI agents.

"Alright." They followed Beaz off to the side to talk about what they each knew about Pablo and his crew.

Danny felt Linda shiver beside him, "You need to get inside and warm. You've been out here too long." Danny pulled her close.

"I just want to get to Franks." Linda sighed.

"Okay. I'll see if I can get the cars out of the driveway. Jack and Sean can ride in his car, and you can take the kids. I'll drive the sedan behind you so I can head back to work." Danny said.

"Danny please." Linda begged him to stay with her, "I know you need to get on this and God knows how much I want whoever did this to pay for it but please stay just for a bit?" She pleaded with him.

"Linda I don't want to lose time on this." Danny explained.

Linda took a deep breath, "Okay."

Danny kissed Linda's cheek, "I'll be right back."

Linda nodded her head and wrapped her arms around herself.

"It's going to be alright Linda. Danny just wants to get this guy as quickly as he can." Frank said.

"I know. But at what cost?" Linda wondered out loud. She watched as Danny pulled the cars from the driveway hoping they wouldn't have to hideout for too long. It was scary enough to wake up to her sons screaming for her with a fire raging inside their house. She didn't want anything else to happen. One traumatic event was enough.


	5. Chapter 5

Frank's house was surrounded. Not only was Frank able to shut down the street and make sure anyone entering had ID's checked, he was also able to get units surrounding the house and in the neighborhood. His detail was on high alert as was every cop in the city.

Linda laid in bed trying to fall asleep but knowing it wasn't going to happen. It had taken a few hours to get the kids settled at their grandfathers house. Danny took a quick shower and was going right back to work again. Linda was mad. She knew he had to but she wished he didn't. Every memory was in that house. Every child they'd had, had only ever lived in that house. All the first steps, first words. The door frame near the cellar stairs held the height marks from Jack's first birthday to Grace's most recent mark on her second birthday just six month ago. Their family pictures. Kids crafts they'd made and kept as keepsakes. Danny and Linda had moved into that house when they got married. Every blissful happy memory was lost. Linda was so grateful for working smoke detectors. Thankful for her children not being hurt. But she couldn't get past the fear. Someone, in connection with a case and Danny, almost killed her and their children tonight. She didn't know what kind of monster cowardly lights a house full of children on fire. But she prayed Danny would be the first one to get to this person.

Linda felt Danny kneel down beside the bed and place his hand on her cheek, wiping away her tears, "You're safe." He assumed she was crying in fear.

Linda closed her eyes for a moment, "I know. But we lost so much. The fire marshal said the fire hit the foundation and that even though upstairs wasn't hit by the fire that badly, we still lost a lot and if the inspector doesn't okay the foundation the house is..." Linda couldn't bring herself to say it. If the foundation wasn't stable enough they'd have to destroy the house. They couldn't move back in unless they rebuilt from the foundation up.

"It's okay. I'm going to fix this." Danny promised.

"You can't be sure of that. There _is_ no fixing this. We most likely lost our house tonight." Linda shook her head, "You need to focus on work. Just catch this guy. Okay?" Linda begged him.

"I promise." Danny kissed his wife's lips, "No one's getting away with this." Danny watched as Linda rolled away from him, "I love you Linda." Danny said softly. He knew she was trying her best not to get upset. They were both grateful their family was okay. But he couldn't stop the pain from knowing that the once dream home was most likely irreversibly damaged by the fire that was started on Pablo's orders. Danny kissed his wife's cheek as she closed her eyes trying to see anything but the flames licking the walls as she ran out of the house with their children.

* * *

 

"Where is he?!" Danny slammed the door to the interrogation room behind him, "Where is the asshole that almost killed my family!?" He pulled the kid up from the chair he was sitting in.

"I don't know! I don't know anything about that!!" He shook in terror as Danny slammed him up against the wall.

"Detective!" Beaz yelled trying to get Danny to realize his actions.

"Tell her thank you. She's making sure I don't rip your head off right now." Danny let the kid go, "Which crew member is a fan of Molotov cocktails? Like the one thrown into my house tonight while my kids and wife slept?" Danny asked.

"I don't know!" The kid shook his head.

"He doesn't know." Danny said to Beaz, "You know what I don't know. How some piss ant like you is willing to cover for someone who tried to kill a cops family. But you know what I  _do_ know? How corrections officers don't take kindly to assholes like you. Have fun becoming someones bitch." Danny slammed the door shut behind him not wasting anymore energy on a kid who wasn't going to roll over any more than he already had.

"Hey Reagan!" SSA Rice yelled for him, "Found something!"

Danny walked over to the desk Rice was using, "ATM camera got a hit. There's Pablo. And there his car. Two traffic cameras later it's here. Then we lose it when it pulls down this alley. But the only thing down here is containers for cargo ships."

"Let's go find the bastard." Danny said. He made sure he had his vest before leaving the precinct.

Danny put the gas pedal to the floor as he drove him and Beaz to Pablo's last known location, "I'm gonna kill the son of a bitch." Danny was fuming.

"Danny you need to stay focused to stay alive." Beaz reminded him.

"He could have killed my family tonight." Danny shook his head.

"Then let's go get him. But keep your head focused." She said. She could only imagine how Danny felt. She saw the fear in his eyes when he saw the damage to the house. When he held Linda like his life depended on it. He watched him sped home with tears in his eyes.

Once at the container yard Danny and Beaz carefully walked in formation with ESU, officers from the nearby department and the two FBI agents. They spotted cars around one specific container and made their way towards it. They surrounded the container carefully. Danny watched as ESU ripped the doors open. Danny was one of the first into the container.

"POLICE! DON'T MOVE! HANDS UP!" Danny saw one single person sitting in the middle of the container. A bomb strapped to his chest with a switch in his hand.

"Hello Detective." The calm man said, "I am here to deliver a message. If you think your family is safe because they are at Commissioner Reagan's house think again."

"Shut up!" Danny said.

"We have the address. And we will kill your wife and children. Just as you killed Miguel. You will not get the chance to testify. We cannot risk the operation. We'd rather lose soldiers to the battle than the war. And we will win the war." The man closed his eyes.

"RUN! GET OUT! EVERYONE MOVE!!" ESU yelled.

"Goodbye Detective Reagan." The man closed his eyes and dropped the detonator.

Danny felt the force of the blast hit his back and throw him high into the air. Danny landed on the hard cold frozen ground as twisted metal hailed around. The cars caught fire and tires started popping loudly as the engines blew up.

"Reagan!" Beaz yelled from where she landed on her back.

"Beaz! You good?!" He yelled.

"Yup. You?!" She started to stand her ear bleeding and ringing.

"Yeah! They're headed to the PC's!" Danny gathered with the rest of the unit. One ESU unit was going to follow Danny and Beaz to the Commissioners house while everyone else secured the scene at the container yard. Danny looked over at Beaz, "You're bleeding." He said.

"Flesh wound. Let's go. Linda's a nurse. She can look at it when we get there." Beaz ignored the concern in her partners voice and got in the car, "Besides, she's going to be pretty ticked about that gash on your head." Beaz pointed out.

"She told me I was only allowed one gunshot wound. She didn't say anything about needing stitches." Danny took the gauze Beaz handed him from the first aid kit in the car and taped it to his head as a makeshift bandage for now. He called Linda's cell phone trying to get a hold of her. He needed to make sure they were aware that Pablo and his team were headed right for them.


	6. Chapter 6

Linda had been trying to sleep but every time she closed her eyes she remembered something else that was special about the house. It was the place they'd raised all their children. Every memory, good and bad was in that house. The day Danny came home from Iraq. Each time they brought a baby home. The times they repainted and redid rooms for other children. She didn't know what was lost. She prayed the sentimental items would somehow have been spared. Linda tossed and turned not able to fall asleep when she saw Danny calling her.

Before she could speak he was talking, "Are you okay?!" He was still almost fifteen minutes away.

"I'm good. I was in bed. What's wrong?" She asked.

"Pablo's headed to the house. Get my dad and have him get everyone ready for Pablo." Danny said. He felt the blood drain from his face as he heard popping in the background.

"Danny! That's gunfire!" Linda was up in a flash ready to run to her children.

"Stay with the kids! I'm coming!" Danny pushed the car as hard as he could to get to Bay Ridge.

In the house Linda opened the bedroom door only to find a gun pointed at her.

"Mrs. Reagan." The man in a NYPD uniform pushed his way into the bedroom.

"FRANK!" Linda yelled for her father-in-law.

"By the time he gets here you'll be dead as will your children. We've already killed your husband." He said not knowing Danny and his team had survived the blast.

"Over my dead body." Frank stood in the doorway, "Drop your weapon."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Sir." The officer said.

"This is  _my_ house. This is  _my_ family.  _Please_ don't hurt my family." Frank said. The man cocked his gun and Linda dropped to the ground with her hands over her head. She heard one gunshot go off before she looked back up. The officer was on the ground as his gun was kicked away by Frank, "You okay?" He helped Linda up while Jamie cuffed the officer and took his gun away.

"I'm okay." Linda nodded her head, "I'm alright." She let Frank help her up, "The kids?" 

Frank hugged her tight, "They're okay. Danny is on his way. The house is secure."

Linda took a deep breath thankful for her father-in-law's quick reaction, "How did he get in here?"

"Dirty cop. Found himself a partner with Pablo. Who  _is_ still out there but we are still looking for him. A few of his men tried to storm in here to distract us while this former officer attempted to get to you and the kids from the inside." Frank explained.

Linda checked on the kids thankful that Jack and Sean had been able to get Grace and the twins back to sleep quickly. After hugging them both Jamie promised he'd sit watch on the kids so Jack and Sean could let their guard down to sleep. Jamie set a chair in the hall in front of the kids bedroom to sit and guard them all night if that's what it took for Jack and Sean to feel safe tonight.

Linda met Danny at the bottom of the stairs, "What happened to you?!" She pulled back the crude bandage on his head, "Danny you need stitches!"

"Hi. I'm glad you're alive too honey." Danny said as he hugged his wife.

"I'm fine. Frank made sure of that." Linda pecked his lips before going back to inspecting his wound, "The best I can do is liquid stitches that should be in my bag in the car." Frank sent one of the officers to get the bag for Linda.

"I'm okay." Danny held his wife tightly.

"Maria, you're ear is bleeding!" Linda went to look at Danny's partner, "Can you hear out of it?"

"Sort-of. But it's fine. Just too close to the blast. I'll get it checked out though when we're done here." Beaz said.

"Blast? What blast?" Linda turned to Danny.

"A little explosion. Nothing big." He tried to downplay what happened.

Linda sat on the bottom of the stairs feeling light headed, "Oh my God. I can't do this anymore tonight." She took a deep breath. Linda felt like she couldn't catch her breath. She tried to breathe deep but couldn't. Tears formed in her eyes and her body started to feel hot. Everything felt like it was spinning and she couldn't stop it.

"Linda." Danny put his hand on her cheek, "You're having a panic attack. I need you to breathe with me." Danny said as he watched his wife start to look like she was ready to faint, "Slow breaths."

Linda closed her eyes and tried to sync her breathing with her husbands. She felt him wrap his arms around her and press his lips to her neck, "I'm alright." She said softly letting the tears flow.

"Everyone is okay. All Reagan's accounted for." He held her just a little tighter before letting go.

"What do we do about this guy that still isn't caught yet?" Linda asked.

"I still have to testify. So we stay here until court tomorrow morning. Then we hunt this bastard down." Danny said.

"And if he tries to come here again?" Linda asked.

"He won't." Frank said.

"But if he does?" Linda wondered.

"Then I protect my family." Frank smiled at her, "All of my family."

Linda nodded her head, "Okay."

Linda waited with Danny while an ambulance was called to take Beaz to the nearest ER to get her ear checked out. Linda said it looked like her ear drum may have burst but without an otoscope she couldn't be sure. She used the liquid stitches on Danny's head wound and bandaged it properly after making sure he didn't have a concussion. Linda watched as the house was flooded with officers talking to Frank, Garrett and Sid. Linda felt as if they had their own precinct inside Frank's house. Danny stayed beside her until they finally made it to bed at five in the morning. Jamie was still in his chair in front of the kids room while at last count she estimated twenty or so officers were inside the house with another ten outside, not counting the radio cars at the ends of the street and driving around the neighborhood.

Linda laid her head on Danny's chest, "I'll catch this guy LInda. I promise. We won't be here forever like this. I promise you. I'll get him." Danny said. If it wasn't for Frank yelling at him, Danny would have kept working. But seeing as how Danny hadn't sleep in almost two days Frank demanded he get at least ten hours of time off before going back to work. He needed Danny to be sharp and not make mistakes because he was working on no sleep trying to catch the guy responsible for targeting Danny's family. Linda didn't need to even ask. She was on Frank's side of this. When Frank mentioned not losing another son, it hit Danny hard to see his wife upset and his father so serious. Danny relented and went to bed with Linda.

"I know you will." Linda put a hand over his torso, "I know you'll catch him. But for now, you need sleep. We both do." She tilted her head up to kiss his cheek, "So let's sleep." She closed her eyes feeling Danny's hands trace random shapes on her back and side, "I love you Danny."

"Love you more." He held his wife tight.

"Love you the most." Linda replied with a yawn. Soon they both fell asleep clinging to each other. Protecting each other from the world. Praying that soon the nightmare would be over.


	7. Chapter 7

When Linda woke up she wasn't surprised to be alone in bed. It was relatively normal for Danny to slip out of bed early and head to work. Especially if he was working a hard case. Linda rolled over and smiled seeing the small note beside her cellphone.

_Good morning babe._

_Dad and Pop have the kids so you can go back to sleep if you want._

_I love you. I'll be home as soon as I can._

Linda smiled. The last time Danny left her a note was when he was working a case, coming home while she was sleeping then leaving before she woke up in the morning. She looked at the time and decided that almost ten in the morning was time to get up and see her family. Linda did the math and wondered how Danny got around Franks ten-hour order. But she supposed he slept so at least that was something.

Linda got dressed out of the small bag of clothes she had with her. She called her husband.

"Reagan." He picked it up not looking at the caller ID.

"You left early." She smiled.

"I got sleep though. I'm alright. How did you sleep?" He sat down at his desk. They were trying to track anyone who would know where Pablo was but it was ending with dead ends.

"Okay. Going to go downstairs and see the kids. Talk to the insurance again about the house." Linda said.

"Erin said she'd help out with that. She said they're going to try and downplay the numbers but that she can make sure they don't screw us over." Danny told Linda what Erin had said that morning.

"Alright. I'll call Erin first then." Linda sighed, "Any luck on the case?"

"We're doing everything we can. For now you and the kids just sit tight." Danny told her, "I love you."

"I love you." Linda replied, "I'll see you when you come home."

"I promise. I'll be home as soon as I can." Danny smiled and ended the phone call. He had to find Pablo. He had no choice but to hunt him down to protect his family.

* * *

After hours of nothing Danny Reagan was more than frustrated. It seems that Pablo had vanished into thin air. There was no trace of him. The only vehicle linked to him was at the container yard where it exploded. The last video they had was him headed to the container yard. Danny had no idea how they were going to find this guy. 

"Find anything?" He asked Beaz who had been working just as hard as he had been.

"Maybe?" She enlarged a traffic photo, "Damn. It's not him." She sighed, "I'm searching the traffic photos to see if he blew a red light or an EZ Pass. Something." Beaz frowned, "But nothing. Can't find him."

"So we don't know where he is. Or what he's planning. The kid says she doesn't know anything and the guy who my Dad shot is refusing to talk. Great. We got nothing and I got a family to find a new place to live, a wife and kids who have been terrorized and are under protective custody and we have nothing." Danny said angry at the whole situation, "He can't get away with this."

"He's not going to." Beaz said, "You paying attention to time?" She asked, "You've got court."

Danny looked down at his phone for time, "Yeah. Alright." He stood gathering his things.

"I'll keep searching. You go testify." Beaz said flipping through phone records trying to see if she could find Pablo that way.

"Thanks Beaz." Danny put his gun in his holster and put his jacket on before heading to the court house. On the drive there he almost thought he was being followed but the car turned off. He chalked it up to him being overprotective and scared for his family.

When Danny walked into the court room he had no idea what he was walking in to until it was too late.

* * *

Back at the Reagan house Linda was sitting at the kitchen table sipping tea with Henry.

"Danny's a good cop. He'll find this guy." Henry assured Linda.

"I know. I'm just worried about how hard he's working. He's not sleeping enough and I doubt he's eating enough." Linda said.

"He's not going to eat or sleep until he finds the guy responsible for hurting you and the kids." Henry told her, "None of us will. We protect our family. And you and those kids are just as much family as anyone else." Henry patted her hand gently.

"Thanks Pop." Linda smiled at him.

"Are those Irish yet?" Frank walked into the kitchen.

"Not at Noon." Linda smiled.

Frank walked over with a flask and poured just a bit into Henry and Linda's cups before pouring the rest into his own mug, "Let's just say it's five o'clock somewhere."

"What is it with you Reagan men and Jimmy Buffet?" Linda laughed, "It's always five o'clock and Danny swears when he retires we're spending it on a beach in Margaritaville."

"Buffet is a smart man. Drinking on the beach. What is there to do that's better than that. And Danny has the added benefit and is lucky enough to have you beside him." Henry smiled.

"And I see it as I'm lucky to have him beside me." Linda smiled. Her phone buzzed reminding her of his arrival time at court, "He's going to testify soon." Linda was nervous. She didn't know what repercussions they'd have from his testimony.

"Everything will be okay. Everyone is on high alert. We have extra officers here. Garrett and Sid are triple checking anyone who enters the house. You and the kids are safe." Frank said.

"I'm less worried about us, than I am Danny." Linda frowned. Her gut was twisting in knots. She was terrified something was going to happen. She could almost feel it. That dread from the pit of her stomach. Linda hoped it was just the fear from the last few days.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Danny sat in the courtroom waiting to be called to the witness stand. The case was taking a long time to start as the defense lawyer was late. Danny looked around he noticed how empty the court room was today. For the middle of the day, he'd have thought it would have been filled with people. He supposed it was a good thing. Hopefully when the lawyer showed up, Danny would be able to testify and be back to the 54th precinct to find Pablo in just a few short hours.

Danny felt his gut flip and goosebumps appear on his arms. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stick up. Noise and screaming from in the hall made him pull his gun. Gunfire echoed in the hall. The glass window to his right shattered as a smoke bomb was shot in the room.

Danny ducked to the ground and pointed his gun towards the door as it burst open. When the smoke cleared he saw Pablo wearing a bulletproof vest, standing surrounded by his men.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you Detective!" Pablo walked into the court room.

The bailiff pulled his gun, "Drop it!" He yelled to Pablo.

Pablo didn't blink before firing at the bailiff hitting him in the leg. Danny raised his weapon only to have multiple guns pointed back at him. He couldn't fire. Not without being killed instantly.

"There are more of me than you. I think you should drop your weapon Detective Reagan." Pablo said calmly as his crew swarmed into the room. Gunfire in the hall still popping loudly as officers tried to secure the court house, "Get the doors!" Pablo yelled at them. Danny held his gun aimed at Pablo but knowing he and the bailiff were outnumbered, "Detective Reagan." Pablo walked towards him, "Don't you know how to listen? I thought I warned you. If you testified here today, you'll die. You're wife, Linda. And all your children. Jack, Sean, Grace, and tiny Faith and Sam." Pablo smirked, "You're killing them. Only now instead of killing your wife first I think I'll start with the youngest and move my way up to your wife. So she can watch me execute all your children first."

"Shut up! You can't get to them!" Danny yelled, "Drop your weapon! You're not leaving the courthouse alive!" Danny said. The smoke was starting to clear and Danny was able to get a better look at his surroundings.

"Neither are you Detective." Pablo pointed his gun at Danny. Once his men were positioned where they were supposed to be Pablo grinned, "Do you remember shooting my cousin? Do you remember shooting Miguel in cold blood Detective? I do. I've watched the security video over and over again. I watched you shoot him. I watched him bleed to death because of you. Now you've caused your wife to be forced to watch your children bleed to death."

"You won't touch them! You're not leaving here!" Danny yelled, "You can't get to them! You're bluffing!" Danny knew his father would do anything in his power to keep Linda and the kids safe.

"It might not be today or even tomorrow but one day I will get to them. I will take your family and slowly murder them one by one and when I murder your wife I'll make sure she knows that it's because of you that she had to watch her children die in front of her." Pablo sneered, "You have such a pretty wife. I wonder if she'd cry watching her children die slowly and painfully. First I think I'll slit the throats of the little ones. Then let your young daughter scream for her Mommy and Daddy."

"Shut up!" Danny said not only horrified to hear what Pablo was saying but also not wanting those images in his head.

"I think for your two sons though I'll slowly torture them. Break every bone before letting them slowly die. And your wife. You're beautiful wife. I have lots of men that could use a new toy to play with." He smiled evilly.

"Put your gun down! You're not touching my family!" Danny felt sick to his stomach. He honestly had no idea how he'd get out of this alive. He prayed that ESU would arrive and contain the situation. That his family was safe with his father. Danny prayed he'd make it home alive.

"I can and I will touch them. All of them. Remember my words Detective. You killed your wife and children." Pablo said calmly as he fired three rounds at Danny. Danny fell back to the ground with his last thought of Linda before he blacked out.

* * *

Linda was nervous all day. She sat with Frank and Henry in the living room while the little ones played. Completely unaware of what was going on around them.

"Reagan." Frank answered his phone, "When? Officers down?" Linda looked up wondering what was going on, "What's his condition? Where?" Frank never let his composure falter as he spoke. He got all the information then ended the phone call. 

"Detail is ready when you are Sir." Garrett told Frank from his spot in the front hall.

"Linda." Frank said as calmly as he could, "Danny's been shot. He's already in surgery."

"Is he okay?" Linda took a deep breath.

"They don't know yet." Frank said honestly.

Linda nodded her head, "Okay." She took a deep shaky breath, "Where is he? Can we go? What happened?" She felt a few tears start to fall.

Frank put his arm around her shoulders, "We'll talk on the way. Jamie is going to take the kids, you'll ride with Pop and I." Frank led his daughter-in-law out to his vehicle. Franks entourage of police cars took off as soon as the three Reagan's were inside.

Garrett told Linda everything he knew, "What we know so far is that Pablo and his crew tried to take over the courthouse. Danny was waiting to be called to the witness stand when they burst in. ESU was on the scene in seconds. The team was waiting as we practiced. They were able to secure the courthouse but not the room Danny was in, in under five minutes. Shots were fired and a sniper saw Pablo hit Danny. The second they had a clear shot they hit Pablo and tossed a smoke grenade into the room so ESU could bust through the doors and take the rest of the men out. They cleared the area and got Danny out of there. He was wearing a vest but two of the bullets hit his torso between the vest plates." Garrett said making sure he read all his notes correctly, "They are doing everything they can, Linda."

Linda held Frank's hand not knowing what to expect when they pulled up the the hospital. He couldn't do this. He couldn't leave her. Not like this. Not after the Hell they'd be through. Linda covered her face with her hand as she cried not even knowing if her husband would make it out of surgery alive.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Linda hated this. Every second of it. The hospital was crawling with police officers. Every one of them looking sad and upset. Every one of them watching her family. Eyeing them. Staring at them. Linda didn't know what to do. When the kids had gotten to the hospital she'd already been updated on Danny. They told her how he flat lined in the ambulance but they shocked him back. How they did everything they possibly could for him. How one bullet had migrated up between the time he was shot and the time they had him in surgery. The shock waves of the bullet caused damage to his heart. They told her how he went into cardiac arrest on the operating table.

Linda had never felt so alone in a room full of people. When she told her two eldest about their father, they all hugged each other and cried. Grace, Sam and Faith had no idea what was going on around them. They sat with Erin, and Nicky having no clue the sadness filling the room. When the doctor came out again to take Linda to Danny, his head was hung low. The priest of their church was waiting in the room with the Reagan family, praying for Danny every minute. Linda hugged Frank before following the doctor down the hall to the left.

When she walked in to see Danny she didn't know what to expect. He was pale. His body lying still. When she walked to the side of the bed she got a better view of all the machines he was hooked up to. Linda took her husband's hand in hers. His warm hand, the soft rise and fall of his chest, and the quiet beep of the heart monitor were the only things she needed to hold onto. He was alive. And that was all Linda needed to know for right now. 

Linda pulled a chair up to the side of the bed keeping his hand in hers. She placed a feather light kiss to his lips, "I love you." She whispered. Linda squeezed his hand willing him to squeeze back but knowing he couldn't. His injuries were too severe. He was unconscious. They didn't know when he'd wake up. Right now they were just hoping he'd make it through the next forty-eight hours, "Danny Reagan. I knew when I married you, when you told me how you wanted to be a cop, that there would be many things you'd be late for. And I accept that my husband is always late. What I will not accept is a  _late_ husband." She said, "So you take all the time you need, but you promised to come home to me. So you fight. And you wake up. And you keep your promise." Linda laid her head on the side of his bed, "I love you so much Danny. Please don't go like this. Just stay with me. Please." Linda kissed the back of his hand as she watched his chest.

She stared at the heart monitor watching his vital signs for any indication that he'd wake up soon. She prayed for him to just open his eyes. She always knew that vest didn't make him Superman. But she never imagined two bullets would slip through the tiny gap created by the vest plates. Frank had told her it happened more often that people realized. It wasn't common but it had happened before and will happen again. It's a lucky shot for the perp. One they can't even aim for. It was just 'one of those things', Frank had said to her.

Linda cried. Then dozed off. Woke up. Checked Danny's vitals. Then cried again. Over and over for two days while he lay in the hospital bed not moving. Not blinking. Not responding to anyone or anything. Frank had tried to get Linda to move but she refused to leave him. She barely ate whatever Frank or Henry brought her and only left Danny's side to use the restroom. Linda hadn't let the boys come in to see Danny. She didn't know if Danny would pull through. She didn't want their last image of their father to be him looking so sick and pale lying in a hospital bed.

Three more days went by and still not change. Still no Linda at home. Danny's eyes still closed. The word coma was whispered around by his doctors and nurses when they thought Linda wasn't listening. But she heard them. She heard them not have faith in her husband. But his hand was still warm, his chest still rose and fell, the monitor still beeped with his heartbeat. Linda had faith. Danny didn't break promises. Ever. He swore he'd come home to her. That he wouldn't leave her. He couldn't break that promise now.

A week after the fire happened and she was told that the house needed to be demolished. It wasn't safe for them to move back in. So while she sat and watched over her husband, the Reagan's all got every item out of the house that survived the fire and moved it to a storage locker or Frank's house. Without question, Frank had opened his home to his daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Erin shuffled the little ones to daycare in the morning while Frank got Sean to school. Jack was sent back to NYU so he didn't miss too many classes along with Nicky who kept a close eye on her cousin. At the end of the day Erin picked up Grace, Faith and Sam from daycare and had dinner with the family. Sean was picked up by Jamie each day after school and brought to his Grandfather's house. Erin and Jamie had been sleeping in their old rooms to help if one of the kids woke up in the middle of the night.

Linda refused to leave. She couldn't. She needed to watch Danny's vitals. To watch over him. To talk to him. Linda talked so much. She didn't realize how much she could talk about until that's all that was left to do. She told Danny how from the moment she saw him she knew he was special. How she fell in love with him. And to this day she wakes up and falls in love with him all over again, every day. Linda told Danny how much he means to her. How important he was to her. How much she loved him. She'd talked about the kids and how she was so grateful to have five children with the love of her life. She talked about how she imagined he'd walk Grace and Faith down the aisles on their wedding day. How they'd become grandparents. She prayed even great-grandparents one day. Linda talked about all the wonderful moments of their lives. All the sad moments they'd made it through because they had each other. And all the moments in between. Linda talked about infinity. How she wanted to spend infinity with Danny. How she wasn't ready for infinity to end yet. How she wasn't ready for forever to be over. Linda talked about how life was full of moments. And up until now she hadn't realized how it was impossible to make the most of the very last moment together. How unexpected fate can be. How cruel and how spiteful. Linda prayed for more days with her husband. More love to share. More nights to hold each other. More everything. Linda wasn't ready for the love story that was her and Danny Reagan to be over. She cried begging him to stay. Told him how his heart was her home and she couldn't leave. She reminded him that she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with him.

Linda's emotions swung wildly. Some day's feeling hopeless. Some day's begging him to wake up. Other's angry at him for being in the hospital in the first place. Linda raged about how he promised not to leave her. How he couldn't do this. Not now. Then cried that she was sorry for getting mad. Cried that she needed him. Cried that she loved him. Cried until her eyes held no more tears and she was left with no more energy. She slept holding his hand to her cheek, desperately seeking some sort of comfort but never finding it. 

At the week two mark Linda was losing hope. No matter how hard she prayed he didn't open his eyes. He didn't respond to the doctors. And no one could tell her why. The gunshot wounds were healing but Danny still lay unconscious. Linda didn't know what to do. What to think. What to pray for. She'd prayed over and over for him to wake up. For him to pull through. For him to open his eyes. But the prayers weren't answered. It was as if he was stuck in limbo with no way to get out. The doctors had run test after test after test but nothing showed up. They were just as perplexed as the Reagan's were. Linda closed her eyes. The last thought on her mind before she fell asleep were, his hand is warm, his chest is rising and falling, the monitor still beeped with his heartbeat.

Linda awoke to tears streaming down her face. She'd had that dream again. The one where she wakes up and see's her husband awake, calling for her. She knew that when she opened her eyes she'd find the same pale, gaunt, looking man lying still in a hospital bed, that had been there for almost three weeks now. She sniffled as she swore she felt movement. She was finally hallucinating. Until she felt it again. An ever so soft stroke against her palm where she held his hand. Linda knew sometimes the extremities would move or even lips moved while people were in comas. So she squeezed his hand tightly and laid her head back down with his hand to her cheek. She lost her breath when she felt his thumb wipe her tears. Linda lifted her head and looked up. She'd never seen such a beautiful sight. Danny's eyes were open. Shining brightly at her.

"Linda." He whispered, his voice horse and raspy from not using it for so long.

"Oh my God!" Linda started sobbing. She covered her face with her hands to try and breathe. When she removed them his eyes were still open. She could see a little color have been returned to his face, "Oh my God! Danny! You're awake!" Linda had to hold herself back from launching herself at him. She slammed the call button next to his bed then hugged him tight, "Oh thank God! I love you! I love you so much! Oh my God you're awake!" She couldn't stop herself from sobbing and holding Danny close. Linda kissed his lips softly, "I love you. I love you." She repeated over and over through her tears. Linda let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding when his arms wrapped around her. 

"I love you." Danny whispered. Linda sobs in her husband's arms until she was pried off by the doctors wanting to test him. But this time she felt like she could sit back. Because his hand was warm, his chest rose and fell, the monitor beeped with his heartbeat and his eyes were open.


	10. Chapter 10

Despite being in a coma for two weeks Danny Reagan was exhausted. He was awake for long enough to talk to doctors, for them to assess his current health. The physical therapist said that because of how well he took care of himself and how he worked out and ate healthy that even though he had some muscle loss, that as long as he'd be willing to use a cane to get around for a few weeks, he'd make a full recovery. The neurologist confirmed that his brain showed no signs of damage and he seemed the exact same as the day he got shot. The doctors told him how long he'd been unconscious. Danny thought they were all messing with him until he saw Linda's red, puffy eyes as she confirmed the date. Danny felt his heart break as he realized what his wife must have gone through while he wasn't there. From that second Danny didn't want to let Linda go. He kissed her. He held her. He cried with her. He told her how much he loved her. He apologized for not being there. He listened to her as she called the family to tell them he was awake. Linda lay next to Danny with her head on his chest listening to his heart beating while he ran his fingers through her hair.

"I swear to God if you ever do anything like this again, I'll kill you myself." Linda sighed.

Danny smiled, "Never again."

"Oh Danny." Linda felt her eyes fill with tears, "The family should be coming by. Are you sure you're up for seeing everyone?" She asked.

"Yeah. I want to see our kids. Tell them I love them. Tell our family thank you for stepping up and protecting you and the kids. Thank you for taking care of you all when I couldn't." Danny curled his arm around his wife, "I love you so much Linda."

"I love you." Linda let a few tears fall. She'd been bubbling with sadness and joy at the same time throughout the day. Sometimes crying tears of happiness and other tears of sorrow. But it didn't matter. Danny was awake and he would be okay.

Linda looked up as a light knock on the door broke their bubble they'd been in since the doctors left them alone.

"Hi. I have some people who would like to see a certain Detective." Frank smiled warmly at the sight of his son and daughter-in-law together.

Linda sat up a bit before helping Danny sit up and lean back against some pillows, "Send them in." She smiled.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Grace squealed seeing her parents.

"Dad!" Jack was the first to reach Danny.

"You're really okay!" Sean ran over. 

Faith and Sam were being held by Henry and Erin. Both babies smiled wide at their parents.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Erin handed Linda, Sam.

"Reagan's never stop fighting." Henry smiled putting a wiggly Faith on the bed as well.

"It's good to see you awake son." Frank put a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"Nice to be able to see you." Jamie grinned.

Linda hugged her babies close, "I missed you guys."

"We missed you too Mom." Sean had started to cry, "I'm sorry." He said thinking his father would be ashamed of him. Jack was relieved but he wasn't crying. None of the Reagan men had a tear except Sean who couldn't stop, "I'm sorry. I'm just really glad you're okay." He hugged his dad tight.

"It's okay." Danny hugged his son tight, "Why are you sorry?"

"I shouldn't be crying. I should be glad you're okay without crying about it. I'm not strong like you are. You never cry." Sean explained through his tears.

"Sean." Danny squeezed him tight, "Crying isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign you have a heart. You've seen me cry. Think about it for a minute." Danny tried to get his son to see that it was okay to react like he was. Or that reacting like Jack was, just happy to see his father, was equally acceptable, "When mom was hurt, I cried. When we had to wait to hear what the doctors said." Sean nodded his head, "Do you know why I cried?"

"Because it's mom and you love her?" Sean asked.

"That and I was scared." Danny explained, "I was scared she wasn't going to be okay. And even when they said she was, I still cried. Because I was happy. Men cry. Reagan men cry. And no one in this room will ever look at you and think you crying is a sign of being weak." Danny hugged his son again, "Okay?"

"Okay." Sean nodded his head. Henry put an arm around Sean's shoulders while they stood beside Danny's bed.

"Uncle Danny I'm so glad to see you." Nicky smiled, "We missed you so much."

"I know you don't like my cooking all the time but really Danny? A two week coma is a bit dramatic for wanting to skip Sunday dinner." Erin teased.

Danny laughed, "With you on that new health food tofu kick I think we'd all like to skip Sunday dinner." He said referring to Erin's latest in food trends.

"What did the doctor say? When can we bust you out of here?" Jamie asked.

"Maybe a few days or a week. It depends. But everything is good. The physical therapist came by and said Danny will probably need a cane for a few weeks until his muscles strengthen back up but that he's healthy and he's going to be one-hundred percent in about a month." Linda explained, "He's lucky."

" _We're_ lucky." Danny corrected her.

Linda nodded her head, "Yes we are." Linda looked at Frank, "So we'll be at your house for another month or so if that's okay." She hoped they weren't imposing too much on her father-in-law.

"I'm glad to have you all there. The house needed some noise and people to fill it up." Frank said, "You all stay as long as you need to. We've got plenty of space. You guys just stay until you find a new place. Don't worry about being there."

Danny smiled, "Thanks Dad." He looked around the room. His children surrounding him. His wife, forever beside him. His siblings and niece willing to do whatever they can to help. Pop making sure everyone was taken care of. His dad welcoming his family with open arms and an invitation with no expiration date in sight, "Thank you. For everything. You guys have no idea how much it means that you've helped take care of everyone for me." Danny kissed Linda's cheek.

"We're Reagans. We take care of our own." Henry smiled.

Danny nodded his head. Truer words had never been spoken. He knew there was a lot to do. A lot to take care of and a lot to handle. But right now. He just sat next to his wife, with his family around him while Sam dozed off in his Daddy's lap, Faith cuddled up with her Mommy, Grace stuffed herself between both of them, Jack sitting on the edge of the bed with his arm around his little brother. Danny Reagan was a lucky man. He didn't think things could ever be better than this moment. This small miracle that he was granted of a second chance.


	11. Chapter 11

A week had passed since Danny came home from the hospital. He hated having to use a cane to get around but accepted that it really did help with the stairs at his Dad's house. Beaz was temporarily assigned a new partner while he was out on medical leave. She'd come by the hospital after the family left. Told Linda and Danny to call her if they needed anything and hassled her partner about puttering around like an old man for a month.

Danny was walking around his old bedroom getting changed while Linda sat on the bed. She was pretending she was reading a book but really was watching every step he made to make sure he didn't fall and hurt himself. Being in the coma for two weeks had weakened his muscles. The physical therapist said they'd strengthen back up with regular use but he should still be careful and wouldn't be able to go back to full duty until he could pass the PT test again.

Danny felt Linda's eyes follow him as he purposely walked back and forth around the room for no reason, without his cane. He crossed the room again and smiled slightly when he saw her turn her head watching him, "Babe." He grinned, "You planning on watching me shower too? Just to be sure I don't fall?"

Linda shook her head, "I'm not watching you. I'm reading this book Pop was talking about. I just happened to be coming up at the same  _time_ as you. Total coincidence." She said not wanting him to feel like she was still scared of what _could_ happen.

"Oh. You're reading?" He tried to hide his laughter.

"Yup. Absolutely. Uh-huh." She nodded her head and wiggled the book as if that was what would signal she was reading.

Danny walked over and sat on the edge of the bed where Linda was, "My mistake." He slipped the book from her hands and turned it around, "I just didn't know you could read upside down." He pecked her lips.

Linda realized it had been upside down since she'd come upstairs, "Oh." 

"Honey. I'm okay. I'm not going to push myself to the point where I hurt myself. I promise." Danny smiled at her.

"You should be using your cane more than you are." Linda scolded him.

"Ya know how you can  _really_ make sure I don't slip in the shower?" He slid his arms around her waist, "You could just shower  _with_ me."

"We can't do that here." Linda giggled.

"Why not?" Danny kissed Linda's lips softly before kissing his way down to her neck.

"Because it's your fathers house." Linda tried to explain. But between missing her husband, Danny's hands and lips, Linda knew she was fighting a losing battle.

"We've had sex in here before." Danny recalled many nights where Linda would sneak into his room when she was supposed to be sleeping in Erin's room when they were dating.

"Not in a very long time. Besides." Linda felt Danny's hands slip under her shirt, "What if he hears us? Or Pop hears us."

"Then you should be quiet because you're the loud one." Danny tugged her shirt over her head.

"I am not." Linda kissed her husband.

"Let's find out then." Danny gently pushed Linda back onto the bed.

"What happened to sharing a shower?" She laughed.

"That's act two." Danny kissed her sweetly. Linda couldn't help the loud giggle that escaped, "Shh!" Danny carefully covered her mouth, "Told you, you were the loud one." Linda licked Danny's palm thinking he'd retract his hand, "Do you think licking my hand will make me move it?" Danny smiled but moved his hand keeping one finger on her lips, "Shh." He said before using his hands for a much better task like unhooking her bra.

"It worked when my brother used to do it to me." She said not really thinking about it.

" Think about that for a second." Danny smiled.

The light bulb finally went off for Linda, "Oh shush and kiss me." She laughed.

Danny and Linda stilled all movements as Danny's phone buzzed, "That might be the insurance for the house." He rolled off his wife and reached for his phone.

Linda looked over his shoulder, "I  _told_ you he was going to hear." Linda said reading the text Frank had sent. It said he and Pop were taking the kids out to dinner so they'd have the house to themselves for a while.

"But now you can be loud." Danny flipped back over on top of Linda and continued his reunion with his wife.

* * *

That night after talking to the insurance, then the adjuster, then a contractor, then Frank and Pop, Danny and Linda decided what they were going to do about the house. Linda and Danny loved the area. The kids lives were in Staten Island, her job, daycare, Sean's school. Everything was there. Neither of them wanted to find a new place to live. Linda was concerned that living in the same exact spot would keep them a target as now people would know where to find Danny and his family. After talking about security more and agreeing to install a security system, they'd decided to rebuild their home. With a few additions. Like two basement rooms and a small rec room area. The washer and dryer more off to the side in the basement. A slightly bigger floor space for the living room, kitchen and dining room. Three bedrooms upstairs not counting the master. And Linda was taking full charge of the master bathroom. She was very interested to know how little the difference was if they got a hot tub style bath tub. Linda daydreamed about the nice long baths she could take with a glass of wine after the kids went to bed. And since Danny just cared about making his wife smile he let her have control of whatever she wanted. He just didn't want to live with his father forever. He was grateful for Frank and Henry letting them stay there. It was going to be about five to seven months before the house was built seeing as how there was still snow on the ground. They were hoping by mid-July to be done with it.

Danny and Linda sat on the couch while Henry and Frank sat in their respective chairs in the den.

"You know you are welcome to stay as long as you need or want to." Henry said to them.

"It's appreciated Pop. But the sooner the house gets done and we get moved back in, the sooner everything gets back to normal." Danny kissed the top of Linda's head, "Besides, it's a long ride for Linda and the kids to go to work and daycare or school each day."

"And we like our space. We love you. And the family but it's nice to just have time together. Our family." Linda explained.

"I can understand that. You two can go out with the kids and do what you want without it being broadcast through every family member." Frank sipped his whiskey, "Just know that you're always welcome. And there's no expiration on that invitation to stay."

"Besides, the house will be so much quieter for you two when we leave. All six of us. Seven on the weekends." Danny grinned.

"No noise from the babies. Or Jack and Sean fighting over something." Linda said. She looked up at Danny, "How about we leave the kids and we just move back? Our house would be really quiet."

"It's the parents job to raise the children and the grandparents job to give them sugar before bedtime." Frank laughed.

"We could split them. I'll take them when they are happy and you get cranky." Linda grinned.

"They are perfect. They're never cranky when they are with me." Frank smiled.

"That's because I'm really good at keeping their schedule even when we aren't home. Let Grace stay up late or nap too long. You'll see just how cranky and fussy she can get." Linda took a sip of her wine.

"Oh please. All you have to do with Grace is let her sit with one of us or lay down next to you or I and she's fine. She just wants Mommy when she's not happy. Sam is easily distracted from a tantrum by anything and Faith just wants you to hold her and give her a bottle even if she's not hungry for one." Danny said.

"Faith is just like her father. Give her a drink and she'd okay." Henry joked.

Linda laughed, "She and Sam have shirts that say 'Daddy's drinking buddy'. That's exactly what she is too. He can't drink a beer out of the bottle in front of her anymore. Every time he would get one, she'd whine for her bottle too." 

"Well, she  _is_ Irish." Frank laughed.

"And which one of us is always keeping the wine rack full?" Danny teased his wife.

"I'm being healthy. Red wine is good for the heart." Linda smiled.

"And a beer is good for my sanity." Danny said.

Henry raised his whiskey, "Sláinte chugat." He said in Gaelic.

"Sláinte chugat!" Frank, Danny and Linda said raising there glasses to toast to good health as well. The four adults talked for a long while about the plans for the new house and Linda hunted for ideas to keep Danny from going stir-crazy being stuck away from work for a month. To which, Frank and Henry told her it wasn't going to happen. They gave it two weeks before Danny muscled his way back into work. Even if it was desk duty. He'd go back as son as he could. Danny promised he'd talk to the physical therapist first but insisted he was fine. So Linda had faith that what he said wasn't just said her her benefit. It was truly how he felt. Linda knew he wouldn't lie about this. Not after they'd talked about. Not after what had happened. Linda listened to the Reagan men talk to each other while she chimed in every so often. She was grateful for the hospitality of her in-laws but couldn't wait for them to be back in their own house, just them and the kids.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Linda rolled over and rubbed her eyes. She was just waking up but felt like she was exhausted still. Grace hadn't felt well all night and Linda was up and down with her. It seemed she was coming down with a cold so they separated her and the twins to try and keep the twins from catching it as well. But trying to keep a fussy toddler who doesn't feel well, quiet so her grandfather and great-grandfather could sleep was harder than it seemed. She expected Danny to be in bed beside her. After all, he wasn't able to return to work yet. So she was surprised not to feel his arm around her. Linda sat up and slid her glasses on, looking for a note. Usually when Danny left while she was sleeping and it was unexpected he'd leave her a note or at least text her to tell her what was going on. Finding nothing Linda got up and headed downstairs. She paused outside the kitchen door hearing Danny talking to someone on the phone. She could hear how upset he sounds. He was irritable and ticked off.

"What do you mean you don't know what happened to him?!" Danny paced back and forth, "How do you lose a prisoner? How did he even get close to getting out?!" Danny was fuming, "You do realize he tried to kill me. And my wife! And my children! He had a dirty cop come into Commissioner Reagan's house and try to kill my wife! This man can't just disappear!" Danny was quiet for a few moments listening before blowing up again, "Are you serious?! You're going to tell me not to worry?! Not to worry about the man who almost killed me?! Who burned down my house?! With my sleeping family inside?!" Danny yelled, "Find him! I don't give a damn what you have to do but you better find him! If he finds my family before you find him you'll wish you were the one under protection!" He slammed his phone down on the counter top. Danny stood gripping the counter trying to figure out what to do next. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down.

Linda peeked in the kitchen. She could see his shoulders tense up with each breath. Linda walked over to her husband, "You okay?" She slid her hands around his waist from behind letting her forehead rest against his back.

Danny took a deep breath before turning around so he could hold his wife, "Yeah." He kissed her lips, "I'm okay."

Linda nodded her head, "You want to talk about it?" She asked knowing he might be okay but that phone call was  _something_.

"Pablo went to the prison doctor who sent him to the hospital with transit officers and a radio car. But somehow they lost in in the hospital. He was alone int he room, which shouldn't have ever happened, but he was and when they went back in, he was gone. Just my card on the gurney." Danny explained, "They don't know where he is, who he's with, what he's planning. Nothing. But the gang unit out of the 54th is trying to see if they have any informants who might know about Pablo's crew and what's going on with them." Danny felt Linda involuntarily shiver, "But we're okay. We're alright. Dad's detail unit is always around and we are technically still under protection. So we're safe. I promise." Danny smiled.

Linda nodded her head, "You sure?" She asked. It wasn't that she didn't believe her husband. But she'd seen enough of what Pablo was capable of that she just wasn't so quick to assume they were safe.

"I'm sure. Nothing is going to happen to any one of us." Danny held her tighter, "I won't let anything happen to you or the kids."

"What about you?" Linda asked.

"Nothing will happen to me either." Danny kissed his wife sweetly. Linda nodded her head and hugged him close. The two stayed wrapped in their own bubble until Frank walked in the kitchen.

"Am I interrupting?" He asked still not used to more people in the house first thing in the morning.

Linda shook her head, "No. It's okay." She smiled, "I'll go check on the kids and get Sean up for school."

"I'll bring you up coffee." Danny said noticing she hadn't made her usual cup yet. Danny waited until she was out of ear shot before looking at his father, "You knew about Pablo?" He asked.

"I heard when it happened." Frank nodded his head.

"And you didn't tell me?" Danny asked.

"It was almost two-thirty in the morning. I heard Linda with Grace and wasn't going to bother you two with bad news in the middle of the night. I put extra officers out front overnight and had them sweep the perimeter every thirty minutes." Frank told Danny.

"He's not going to stop." Danny poured his wife's coffee.

"Then we stop him." Frank said.

"He's going to come after me again. If not me, then Linda and the kids. We can't let him get to them Dad." Danny worried his family would be in danger. And with him still not one-hundred percent back he knew he'd be no match for Pablo if he came near.

"He won't. Sean will have a detail with him at all times so he can't get to him at school. Faith and Sam and Grace will be safe at daycare. We'll get officers to sit on the school and watch who goes in and out. And we'll get detail on Linda while she's at work." Frank thought out loud.

"She's not going to like that." Danny shook his head as he added cream and sugar to her coffee.

"She'll have to deal with it. I'll assign Jamie to protective detail if that's the only way to do it." Frank smiled, "She should be fine with Jamie."

"Can you put Beaz on her too?" Danny asked. He saw the question linger in his father's eyes, "She's a damn good shot. And I trust her to have my back each tour. If I had to pick two cops besides myself, to watch Linda and make sure sh'es safe, I'd pick Harvard and Beaz."

"I'll get them both to One PP to reassign them this morning." Frank nodded his head.

"Thanks." Danny said sincerely. He put the spoon he'd used to mix Linda's coffee in the sink as he heard Grace cry.

"Go. Take care of your wife and kids. I'll get detail assigned for everyone." Frank patted his son on the shoulder as he poured his own cup of coffee.

Danny nodded his head and left the room. He prayed Pablo would just crawl back in the hole he came out of but knew there was no way that would happen. He had to prepare for the worst. And pray his wife and children would stay safe.


	13. Chapter 13

Linda rolled her eyes as Jamie and Beaz trailed along with her through the medical practice. They'd been on her every step of the day. Faith, Sam and Grace stayed home with Danny while Linda went to work. The threat was still there but they couldn't afford for Linda to take any more time off. She'd used as much of her paid and unpaid time off as she possibly could. With the new hose being built she needed to work to keep their budget from taking too much of dent. So very reluctantly, on both Danny and Linda's parts, Linda went to work while Sean went to school. Frank had gotten two officers on Jack while he stayed at NYU. Linda didn't like it. But under the circumstances she didn't have a choice but to be at work.

"You guys can probably just sit and keep an eye out. I don't think when Danny said watch me he meant it as in every literal second." Linda smiled.

"I'm pretty sure he would have you in Kevlar if he could get you to wear a vest." Jamie said to his sister-in-law.

"He told me to wear one when I got dressed for work. I told him he's insane and I wasn't doing that. It's not needed." Linda put a few charts in order, "I have you guys here. I'm okay."

"This guy is slippery Linda. He's got big connections and he's not going down without a fight." Beaz warned her.

"I know. But I also know there's no way you two would let him near me." Linda smiled at them, "Besides. If Danny thought for one second you two couldn't keep me safe, he'd be here against medical advice, doing the job himself."

Jamie nodded his head, "We all just want you and the kids and Danny to be safe."

"I know. But there's nothing else to do. I can't stop working until he's caught. You just said yourself, no one can keep this guy. He keeps getting out of everything." Linda sighed. She took a patent in while Jamie and Beaz stood guard. The whole morning dragged on. Linda finally felt some relief when afternoon hit. She was leaving by three to keep her home as much as possible. Being out in the open wasn't the best when you had a target painted on your back.

Linda sipped her fourth coffee of the day, "Have they found anything about where Pablo is or what he might be doing?" She asked as she sat at her desk.

"Nothing. No word on him yet. I have a friend of mine on the street digging around but we can't find him." Beaz sighed.

"So we just wait until he tries again?" Linda asked.

"We won't have to wait long. Not with his track record." Jamie said, "He's usually right on top of you guys." Jamie watched as a young man in the Internal Medicine office across the way got up from his chair leaving his backpack behind, "Linda wait here." Jamie said going to look at the bag.

Linda watched as Jamie eyed the bag with caution then opened it. She saw his face lose all color and him back away slowly, "What's going on?" She asked Beaz.

"Call it in!" Jamie said as he started telling people they needed to leave the room.

"We need to clear the area. Now." Beaz said.

Linda looked over concerned, "What is it?" She asked.

"It's a bomb." Beaz put her hand on Linda's back to lead her to the car, "Let's go."

"I have to help get everyone out of here." Linda shook her head.

"And if I don't get  _you_ out of here Danny will kill me. You're not staying in here anymore. Jamie will get everyone out. Let's go. Right now, you're my job. You're the target which makes you the priority.", Beaz pushed Linda to leave the building. What Beaz didn't know was that she was following Pablo's plan exactly as he wanted her to. Once they were outside Beaz walked Linda to the car to sit and wait for bomb squad to get there. Linda was astonished that the response time was less than it took for her to call Danny and let him know what was going on. Beaz said they'd get Sean back to the Commissioner's house in under an hour.

Linda knew Danny was going to be beside himself, "Danny." She said.

"What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?" He asked the second he answered the phone.

"I'm okay. Maria is with me. They said there's a bomb inside the building." Linda explained.

"Come home." Danny knew his tone was short but he didn't want to lose his wife, "Where's Jamie? Are you alright?"

"I'm okay. And Jamie is talking to bomb squad. I'll be home soon." Linda told him.

"Linda." Danny sighed.

"I'm okay. Just waiting on Jamie to finish up." Linda said.

"I hate this. I knew you should have just stayed home. Sean needs to come home too. No one leaves. we can't do this. We can't split." Danny worried.

"I have to work and Sean and jack have school. We can't miss these things. We can't afford for me to miss more work." Linda hoped Danny didn't hear the fear in her voice as she wiped a tear away. In truth she was petrified of being killed. But she knew she had no more time off work.

After talking with the bomb squad Jamie walked over to Linda, "They are checking it out but so far it looks like a dud. It looks like some kids science fair project. Lots of wires and C-4 but nothing to trigger an actual bomb or explosion." Jamie repeated what he was told.

"So it's a fake?" Linda asked while still on the phone with Danny.

"A fake?" Danny wondered if he heard correctly, "They want you in the open."

"A distraction." Beaz looked around for a clue.

"Distraction from what?" Linda wondered.

"I don't know yet." Beaz watched for any sign of danger.

"The kids are fine? Jack? Sean?" Linda asked.

Jamie nodded his head, "Both their details report everything is okay." 

"Faith, Sam and Grace are okay. I've got them." Danny said trying to calm his wife through the phone.

"Danny, I'm bringing her home." Beaz said loudly enough for him to head, "Linda, get in the car. We'll figure it out at Commissioner Reagan's." Beaz ushered Linda in the car to get her back home as quickly as they could hoping nothing would happen between point A and point B.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Linda Reagan sat in the back of the police car that was driving her home thinking the worst of her day was being inconvenienced by leaving work because of a fake bomb. If she knew what was about to happen she would have realized that was one of the better parts of her day. 

She looked at her phone as it rang again, "We're almost home." She said to Danny who had been frantically calling her back and forth the whole car ride. Sean was home safely and Jack was okay at school with officers keeping tabs on him. Jamie and Beaz were driving Linda home when they ran into standstill traffic, "There's an accident up ahead that's blocking the road on both sides. I'm fine. I promise."

"There's no way around?" Danny asked.

"No. But it's okay. I'll be home soon." Linda tried to ease his worry.

"Linda, you don't know what he's capable of." Danny panicked.

"I think I do. Or at least have some idea. Danny, I'm okay. Jamie is keeping an eye out while Beaz drives. It's okay. They are keeping me safe." Linda said to her husband.

"I'm going to cut around the block. We can't stay like this. We're sitting ducks if he see's us." Beaz pointed to a side street that would get them around the accident where NYPD were directing the traffic flow. 

"We'll be home in..." Linda thought for a moment.

"Ten minutes." Jamie replied.

"Jamie said give us ten minutes." Linda repeated for Danny to hear.

"Ten minutes. They better have you home in five." Danny sighed.

"Danny. It's okay. I love you." Linda smiled. 

"I love you." Danny said before ending the call to tend to Grace who'd started crying for no apparent reason.

Linda slipped her phone back into her coat pocket. Suddenly the car lurched to a stop, "What the-"

"Linda! Get down!" Jamie grabbed for the radio to call for back up, "This is Officer Reagan with Detective Beaz! We need backup to our location forthwith! PC Family with us! Shots fired! Repeat shots fired!" Jamie yelled into the radio as the windshield was pelted with gunfire.

An eighteen wheeler cut them off forcing them to back up where a moving truck was blocking their way. Flash bangs and smoke bombs rained down on the car shattering the glass and echoing throughout the vehicle. Bullets flew in every direction. That's when Linda knew, Pablo was here and he'd planned the whole thing.

She dropped to the floor, "Oh my God! Jamie!"

Beaz grabbed for her weapon and tried to open her door only to be blocked by Pablo's men who'd already descended upon the car, "Stay down!" Beaz yelled at Linda, "Jamie! We gotta get her out of here!"

"I'll hold them off! You get her out of here!" Jamie kicked his door open knocking Pablo's men to the ground, "Police! Get back!" He yelled. Beaz tried to hit the gas pedal to get out of that area. Somehow, some way she had to keep Linda safe and get her out, "Beaz!" Jamie yelled seeing her struggle to get the car moving, "You gotta get her out of here!" He shot at Pablo's men trying to hold them back. But there were more of them than there were of just Jamie and Beaz.

"Linda! Stay down!" Beaz yelled as she was yanked by her hair out of the car by one of Pablo's men. Linda crouched down in the car covering her head as the attack unfolded around her. She fumbled for her cell phone not knowing what to do other than to call Danny and get help. Her body shook with fear as she assumed this was how she was going to die. Right here and now. By Pablo's men.

"Beaz!" Jamie yelled. He fired his weapon back at Pablo's men who were shooting at him, the car, Beaz, anywhere they could hit near them. The car took the brunt of the shots as they threw more smoke grenades and flash bangs trying to keep the two NYPD cops from getting any clear shots.

Linda's door was ripped open, "Jamie!" Linda screamed. She punched and kicked but it was no use against Pablo who was bigger and stronger than she was, "No! Let me go! Let me go!" Linda punched at him, "No! No!" She tried to pull away from him. Pablo was able to pull her kicking and screaming from the car.

"Hello Mrs. Reagan." He smiled, "We're going to get real close soon." Pablo sneered. He slammed the butt of his gun down on her head knocking her out.

Jamie turned around quickly, "Let her go!" He pointed his gun at Pablo, "Let her go now!" He tried to get a clear shot at Pablo but the man wasn't stupid. He held Linda up like a human shield preventing anyone from being able to shoot him without risking shooting Linda as well.

"I don't think I will. Pass this message along to your brother. He can retrieve his wife at this address." Pablo dropped a crinkled piece of paper on the back seat of the car where Linda was sitting, "He has six hours. He comes alone and unarmed or I'll kill her." Pablo handed Linda off to one of his men who dragged her limp body to their waiting car.

Jamie kept his gun pointed at Pablo, "Let her go!" He yelled again.

"We're not letting you take her!" Beaz said from the other side of the car.

"My men won't stop and they have enough bullets to keep you here." Pablo smiled as his men continued to fire upon the police car without letting up for one second, "Have a good day Officer, Detective." He threw a flash bang towards Jamie to disorientate the officer enough so he could slip away without getting shot.

"Linda!" Beaz tried to shoot at the car that was speeding away with Danny's wife only to be forced back down as Pablo's men continued to shoot at her. The battle continued until back up arrived seconds later. Less than a minute too late to save Linda Reagan.


	15. Chapter 15

"HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!?" Danny at Jamie, "WHERE DID HE TAKE HER JAMIE?!!" 

"Danny. Calm down." Jamie tried to reason with him.

"CALM DOWN?!" Danny bellowed. He strapped his off-duty weapon to his ankle holster. He didn't care what anyone said. He was going after this monster. He was going to get his wife back.

"He said you have six hours to get to the address he gave us. TARU looked it up. It's some abandoned warehouse. It's a trap. He wants you alone and unarmed. You can't go like that." Jamie said.

"The Hell I won't! That's my **WIFE** he has!" Danny refused to listen to Jamie's concerns.

"You're **not** going alone!" Frank stepped in, "I'm  **not** losing another son! We all go." Frank said.

"You can't go too." Danny shook his head as he holstered his duty weapon.

"I'm not letting you go solo on this, Partner." Beaz shook her head, "I'm coming too."

"And me." Sid pipped up.

"I have two units ready and waiting." The head of Frank's detail told him.

"He won't hesitate to kill you or Linda if he gets the chance. She's just as much family as anyone else. We do this as a family. And it extends to NYPD family as well." Frank said, "We all go together. We'll make him think you're alone. ESU won't take any chances. We go together."

"Dad. We can't let him hurt her." Danny shook his head, "We need to get her out safely."

"And we will." Frank put a hand on Danny's shoulder, "Now lets work on a plan."

Danny nodded his head and followed his father into the living room to work out a plan with the team on how to extract Linda safely and without risking her life.

* * *

When Linda woke up she wished she'd stayed knocked out. She felt her hands bound by rope behind her back as she sat in a chair. Her legs were tied to the legs of the chair. Her mouth was stuffed with a dirty handkerchief crudely tied around her head as a gag. She looked around for some clue of where she was but the empty warehouse gave her nothing. Linda lost her breath when she looked down to see what the weight on her chest was. Pablo had strapped a bomb to her chest. The timer slowly counting down. Linda felt fear from her head to her toes. She tried not to move a muscle. Terrified it would go off at any second. She prayed Danny would find her. That she'd make it home to her children.

"You're awake." Pablo entered the room with a grin, "I've been waiting for you to wake up. Mrs. Reagan, I want you to know that I never wanted to do this. I just wanted your husband to shut his mouth. But then he killed my cousin and I can't let that go. You see we grew up together. We were practically brothers. He was my point man in this whole thing. And now he's gone. Because your husband couldn't just shut up. So now you have to die. But die knowing, your husband is the one that killed you. Die knowing that he is the reason you are here and he is the reason you're going to die. In exactly five hours and twenty-seven minutes." Pablo smiled. Linda tried to hold her tears back but terror won. She felt the hot tears slide down her face, "Now now. Don't cry. This should be a welcome gift. Death. Your husband and children will join you soon, Mrs. Reagan. You see, you'll die together. Detective Reagan and you. I've made sure of that." Linda prayed Danny would stay safe. She knew things looked grim for her but if he could stay safe then their children would be okay. At least their children wouldn't lose both of their parents.

* * *

A few hours passed and the team was gearing up to head inside the warehouse. They had thirty-two minutes left and needed to see as much as they could inside to not walk in blind.

Danny watched as the infrared camera they positioned off another rooftop showed them the heat signals from inside, "How many people inside?" Danny asked.

"Twelve." The ESU tech pointed tot he spots, "That's spot hasn't moved. That's most likely Linda. She can't move because she's probably tied up." He said.

"So how do we get her out?" Danny asked.

"We go in here. This is the weak spot. They don't have good security there. You go in, here. Through the front door. Like he wants. You're the distraction. I have teams here, here and here. As well as a team ninety seconds behind you." He said to Danny, "No one takes a shot if it's going to endanger your wife. Priority one is her safe extraction. Priority two is Pablo. We have shoot to kill orders."

Danny nodded his head, "If someone misses, I swear to God." Danny started to say.

"It won't happen Detective." The tech shook his head.

"It better not." Danny strapped his vest on, "When do we go in?" He asked.

"Five minutes." The team dispersed to their select areas. Jamie would be with Team A, while Beaz was with team B. An ESU team would be behind Danny and another one bringing up the back. 

Danny looked over at Jamie, "Watch yourself Harvard." He said.

"I'll be fine. You worry about Linda." Jamie smiled. He followed his ESU team to their entry point around the building as Beaz followed hers. Danny stood ready to walk up to the warehouse. He was going to get his wife. No matter what it cost. He was going to get her home safely. Danny's watched beeped that the five minutes was up. He got out of the van and walked the two blocks to the warehouse. Danny was terrified of everything going wrong. He slowly walked up to the building as he was instructed to. He opened the door and stepped in. Completely unaware of exactly what he'd just walked into.

 


	16. Chapter 16

Danny walked into the dark warehouse not knowing which way to turn. He turned left following the image in his mind of what the infrared camera had shown him. Danny walked down a set of metal steps to see Linda tied to the chair in the middle of the room.

"Linda!" He yelled. Danny started to run to her but was stopped by a gun to his head.

"Hello Detective." Pablo grinned, "As you can see your wife is having a bad day. If you touch her, if she moves an inch, if she so much as sneezes, that bomb strapped to her chest will go off automatically and kill her. Now there  _is_ a way to disarm it." 

"Let her go! Take me!" Danny said, "Put me in her place. It's not her that you want anyway. You want me.  _I'm_ the one that shot Miguel. _I'm_ the one that testified. _I'm_ the one that did this. Not her. Just let her go. Please let her go." Danny begged.

"Oh but I didn't have the opportunity to choose my life or Miguel's life.  _You_ chose that for me. But I'm going to be a nicer person than you Detective. I'll give you a choice. You can disarm the bomb around your wife or you can safe your son." Pablo smiled, "Poor Jack. Unsuspecting at the gun I have trained on him. One phone call and he's dead. Even with the cops you have on him." Pablo showed Danny a live feed on his phone of Jack walking around NYU campus with two officers at his side. The screen showed the sniper rifle and then zoomed in on Jack's head through the cross hairs of the gun.

"You sick bastard." Danny felt his heart drop, "Leave my family alone. Take me."

"Choose Detective. Your lovely wife, or your son? Who do you love more? Who will you save?" Pablo laughed, "Tick-tock, tick-tock. You get sixty seconds to decide or they both die. Fifty-nine. Fifty-eight." He continued to count down.

Danny looked over at Linda who had heard what Pablo said about Jack. She slowly nodded her head giving Danny permission to chose their son. They couldn't bury their child knowing they traded his life for Linda's. She knew that Pablo could be bluffing and still kill Jack. But they had to try and save their son. His life far outweighed Linda's. Linda closed her eyes. She didn't want to see Danny watch her die. She didn't want to have her last memory be of her husband's terror filled eyes. She didn't want him to see her crying. She tried to hold her tears in as she prepared to die. She prayed it would be quick. She prayed for her family.

"Thirty-two, thirty one..." Pablo continued to count down.

Danny took a deep breath, "Call of your hit on my son."

"Is that your final decision? Because there's no take backs." Pablo smiled.

Danny hoped the four units would save his wife. He prayed they'd be able to keep her safe. But he couldn't let his son die. He faced an impossible decision. One that he was forced to make. He hoped Linda would forgive him, "Yes."

Pablo put his phone to his ear, "Está apagado" He said in Spanish, "There. It's done." He told the detective, "Now you can sit here and watch her die."

"Please. Trade me for her. Please. I'm a better bargaining chip. You have to know you aren't getting out of here alive. You know that. So take me. They'll let you live if you take me. Maybe you'll be able to get away. Just please let her go." Danny pleaded. He whipped his head around as they heard gunfire in the distance.

"You came with backup." Pablo observed, "How cleaver. Now you get to die too. You get to die first." He stepped just far enough away from Danny and stuck the gun to Danny's head. Danny took the chance the second he saw it. He ducked, grabbing Pablo's wrist and twisting it backwards.

"I said let her go!" Danny yelled as he flipped Pablo over his shoulder. Pablo slammed onto his back on the cement floor. The blow to his head making him dazed for a moment, "Get that thing off her now!" 

"She's as good as dead and you know it!" Pablo shoved at Danny pushing him away, "I'll kill you both. Then I'll murder your children."

Danny ran at Pablo pushing in against a wall as Linda watched in terror unable to move or speak for fear of setting off the bomb strapped to her, "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!"

"You'll never get that bomb off her without me!" Pablo sneered, "You don't know the override code."

Danny punched Pablo in the face trying to get Pablo to let go of him, "Get it off her now!"

"I'd rather die first." Pablo laughed as Danny beat him. Pablo hit back as Danny wailed on him. He kicked Danny between the legs causing him to back up and stumble. That's when Pablo got his opportunity to raise his weapon at Danny. A shot rang out loudly around the room. Danny tripped backwards in shock as Pablo fell to the ground at his feet. He looked behind him to see ESU teams, Beaz, and Jamie flooding into the room.

"No no no no no! Don't you die on me! Get it off her! What's the code!?" He yelled knowing it was no use. Pablo was dead instantly. A single shot to the middle of his head, "Get bomb squad here now!" Danny yelled. He ran over to Linda and tugged the gag from her mouth.

"Danny. Danny. Danny. Get it off. Get it off me. Danny. You have to get it off me." Linda was hyperventilating, "Danny. Please. Please. Danny. Get it off."

"Linda, Linda. Linda!" Danny yelled to get her attention, "I'm going to take care of it. Okay. You're going to be fine."

"Jack. Get Jack." Linda started to cry.

"They're getting him. Jamie! Check all the kids! He had a sniper on Jack!" Danny yelled to his little brother, "Jamie's got it. Jack's safe. Let's worry about getting this off you. Did he say anything? Anything at all about what the code was or how to get it off?"

Linda shook her head, "No. Nothing. Oh my God I'm going to die." She started sobbing unable to stop herself.

"No! You're not! I'm not letting you die! No one dies! Okay?! No one dies." He cupped her cheek softly, "I'm going to get this off you. No one is dying today. I need you to breathe. Okay? It's hard. I know but I'm right here. And I'm not leaving until you're leaving. We're a team. We do this together. And I'm not leaving you behind. No one is dying. That's the plan and we stick to our plan. Right?" He smiled trying to calm her down, "Someone wise once said, we fight for each other, not against each other. So you fight for me and I'll fight for you. You breathe and try to stay as calm as you can for me and I'll work on getting this off you. Okay?" 

Linda nodded her head, "Okay. Danny, I love you. I love you so much and I'm so sorry if I ever..." Linda sobbed.

"Hey, hey. This is not time for a goodbye. This is time for you and I to fight. Okay?" He leaned up kissed her forehead, "It's okay. I'll keep you safe. I'll always protect you."

Linda sniffled, "Okay. Breathing." She said softly. Linda closed her eyes trying to calm down. She felt like her whole body was shaking. 

"Danny what can we do?" Beaz asked.

"I need bomb squad here now." Danny said.

An ESU officer came over to him, "Let me help. Eight years specializing on bomb squad. Can I take a look?" Danny nodded his head, "It's a double trigger. The timer and if you cut any wrong wire it looks like it's set to explode immediately." He said. He followed the wires down to the chair, "We also have another problem. It's a weight bomb. If the weight is disturbed on the chair, it will explode."

"So we can't move her until it's disarmed?" Danny asked.

"I'm telling you we can't move her at all. Even if we disarm it. It still won't disarm the weight bomb." He explained, "We need to do something like water weight distribution."

"We don't have time for that." Danny noted the timer only had five minutes left.

"I can't disarm this bomb that quickly. One wrong cut and the whole place could go up." The ESU officer said, "Detective. There's nothing I can do here. That weight bomb has a timer on it and there's no way to tell how long. Probably less than a minute."

"So we do nothing?!" Danny yelled frantic to figure out how to save his wife.

"Danny." Linda whispered with her eyes closed, "It's okay. I'll be okay. You take care of the kids. Tell them that I love them. I love you. I'll always love you."

"No. No. You're not dying! No!" Danny felt tears fall from his own eyes, "Linda. I'm going to get you out of this."

"You tried. And it's okay. It's alright. I'm going to be okay. And I'll wait for you. Take care of the kids. Make sure Sam and Faith remember me. And don't forget Grace likes her lumpy mashed potatoes." Linda started thinking of anything off the top of her mind to tell Danny, "And Jack's going to need you to help with his first kid. And Sean. Make sure he doesn't think any of this is his fault. You know how sensitive he can be sometimes." 

"Linda. You're not dying. It's okay. I'm going to fix this." Danny cried as the area was cleared. With bomb squad still three minutes away they wouldn't make it before the timer ended. There was nothing they could do. Jamie and Beaz pushed the officers out of the building trying to keep everyone safe.

"Danny there is no fixing this. I die. That's the fix. It's okay. I'm alright. It will be quick. You're going to have to talk to Grace and Faith about boys but don't put it in their heads that boys are all bad. Because I found the love of my life in high school and I wouldn't trade him for the world." Linda wept, "I love you so much Danny Reagan. You gave me everything I could imagine in such a short amount of time. You gave me a lifetime of love and happiness. And I'm forever grateful." Linda cried.

Danny shook his head, "No. I'm not letting you die. I'll figure this out."

"Danny. You need to go. You need to go and you need to get somewhere safe. You need to stay alive for the kids." Linda sobbed.

Danny looked around for anything that could possibly help him stop the bomb from going off when his eyes settled on a fire extinguisher, "Freeze it." Danny said.

"What?" Linda watched him run for the extinguisher with only a minute to spare, "Danny! Go! Run! You have to go now!" She yelled at him not knowing why he was coming back to her, " **Please**!" She begged him, "Please go!"

"No one dies!" He said with determination, "This will work. I know it will." He prayed he was right. He aimed the CO2 fire extinguisher at his wife, "This will be really cold." Danny sprayed the bomb with the CO2 trying to freeze the components. He hated himself when he heard Linda scream in pain from the freezing cold hitting her skin but it was the only way to stop the bomb. Danny watched as the timer counted down with only seconds left. Slowly the timer started to freeze over before stopping completely, "It worked!" He breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay. Just one more." He said. Between pain and fear Linda couldn't speak. She cried not knowing if she was going to die or they both were but wishing she was anywhere but strapped to that chair.

"Danny, what can I do?" Jamie asked running back into the room after securing the perimeter.

"Cut her loose. But Linda don't get up yet. I have an idea." Danny said, "I need a fire blanket." He said to Jamie. Jamie ran to one of the squad cars out front that carried a fireproof blanket in the trunk for emergencies and returned as quickly as he could. Danny took it from his brother, "Linda. I'm going to run and grab you. The bomb is going to go off. Okay. I need you to hold on as tight as you can."

"It's not going to work." She shook her head. She felt Jamie carefully cut the ropes that bound her legs and hands.

"Jamie. Outside!" Danny yelled.

"Danny." Jamie started to say.

"Go! You can't do anything here. Get outside!" Danny ordered him.

Jamie looked from Linda to Danny, "Okay." He nodded his head and ran out to safety.

"Linda I need you to stand up carefully and kick the chair away. Then I'm coming at you. Hard." Danny took a deep breath saying a prayer to Joe to keep him and his wife safe.

"Danny." Linda was terrified they were both going to die.

"Do you trust me?" He asked softly. Linda nodded her head, "Then let's do this together. I got you. Okay? I swore I wasn't leaving. That applied to everything." Danny watched Linda carefully stand up and kick the chair behind her. Danny ran at full force grabbing his wife around the waist. Seconds after she was lifted into the air the force of the blast knocked them both to the ground. Danny covered his wife with his body pulling the fire blanket over the two of them as flames erupted around them.


	17. Chapter 17

Linda clung to Danny as tight as she could. She felt the ground shake and the walls start tumbling down. Linda prayed they'd make it out alive. She felt the flash of heat and weight of her husband shielding her with his body.

"We have to run!" He pulled her up to her feet. Fire was everywhere around them and the building shook. Danny wasted no time. He grabbed his wife's hand and ran with her to the closest exit. Linda ran as fast as she could gripping Danny's hand tightly. She stumbled over rubble and dodged around flames as the building came down around them. Danny shoved her outside first running behind her pushing her along. Secondary explosions blasted out the windows spraying them with glass shards, "Go! Get to Jamie!" Danny yelled directing her towards safety.

Jamie stood ready to yank Linda behind the ESU van for safety, "C'mon! The gas cans are going to go up!" Jamie yelled pointing to the oil drums full of diesel fuel for Pablo's trucks, "RUN!" Jamie screamed seeing flame licking the containers.

The second Linda was close enough Jamie grabbed her arm and pulled her behind the van. Danny was hot on her heels. Linda couldn't stop shaking. She could barely breathe. She hurt everywhere and was in the middle of a panic attack. Danny wrapped his arms around his wife, kissing her cheek, her head, her lips, "It's okay. We're safe. We're okay. You're okay." He finally let himself cry in relief, "I love you. Oh God I love you so much." Danny held her tight as the warehouse collapsed in a fiery explosion. Fire trucks, bomb squad and a slew of police units arrived on scene with ambulances, "I'm so sorry." He apologized her hurting her. He knew the CO2 had to have hurt. By the way she screamed he knew it was horrible, "Let's get you checked out. Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?" Danny asked almost scared of the answer.

Linda shook her head, "He just, he just knocked me out." She cried. Her chest burned with frostbite.

Danny saw the firefighters start to contain the fire the best they could, "Anyone in there?" The chief asked.

Danny shook his head, "No. Everyone's out and accounted for." He said. Danny led Linda to an ambulance to get looked at, "I'm coming with her." He climbed in after they loaded Linda up. Danny despised himself for hurting her but was grateful she was alive. His children were safe, and his wife was alive. That's all that mattered to Danny Reagan.

* * *

Linda laid in the ever familiar hospital bed asleep with Danny beside her. She'd be able to be released in the morning. They'd elected to keep her overnight since it was so late when she got into the ER and with the last name Reagan no one wanted to take any chances. Danny had talked to Jack over the phone. He had no clue what had almost happened to him and Danny kept it that way. He didn't need to know he was almost killed today. Pablo's hit man was apprehended by NYPD that followed him from were he was when Pablo called to the bar he went to after the hit was called off. And the officers that were detailing Jack kept by his side for the rest of the day. Sean, Grace, Sam and Faith were all told their parents were fine and would be home in the morning. Sean was told that his mom had a head injury but it was no more than a light concussion and she needed to get some rest and fluids but she was fine. Danny refused to leave her side even for a second to talk to Frank. Linda was given some medication to stop another panic attack and something to help her sleep. The doctor said that with the trauma she needed something to help her deal with it. So Linda relented and let them give her something to help calm her down. Between that and the pain medication she was asleep in no time. Luckily the doctor said the frostbite from the CO2 was minimal and reversible. He told them that as long as she could still breathe normally and stayed out of the cold she'd be alright.

Danny ran his fingers through Linda's hair pressing kisses to her forehead as she slept, "I love you so much." He whispered.

Linda curled towards him, "Love you." She sighed not fully asleep yet.

"You mean so much to me. Oh God Linda." Danny sighed.

"You kept me safe. You promised you'd always keep me safe and you did." Linda shivered.

Danny fixed the warm blanket around her before pulling her gently into his arms to hold, "I love you so much." Danny kissed her head.

"Don't let me go, okay?" She yawned. Linda put her head on Danny's chest wishing she could forget the events that unfolded that day.

"I'll hold you as long as you want me to." Danny rubbed Linda's back as he held her close, "Close your eyes babe. It's okay."

Linda shook her head, "I know I'm safe. I know you're not going anywhere but I still see it. I see the fire and I see him, every time I close my eyes." Linda explained, "I don't want to have a nightmare about him."

Danny tilted her head up a bit, "Then dream about this." He kissed her sweetly, "Dream about my kiss. My touch. My lips on your skin. Dream about my hands holding you close." Danny said softly. He kissed Linda's cheek, "Dream about us. About you in my arms." He said softly. Danny took her glasses off and put them safely on the bedside table, "Close your eyes baby." He said, "Fall asleep while I tell you how thankful I am for you. How grateful I am that you are the reason I look forward to the next day. That I love you. And I don't say that out of habit or because I feel obligated to tell you I love you. I say I love you because I want you to know you are the best, most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. That you are my life and there's nothing I won't do for you. That there isn't one person in this world that is more important or that I could ever want more than you. Fall asleep knowing how loved you are. How important you are. How I'll forever be by your side. Protecting you, keeping you safe, loving you, fighting with you, kissing you, hugging you, touching you." Danny talked softly as Linda started to fall asleep, "Close your eyes babe and dream of our love. Dream about us." He watched as Linda yawned with her eyes closed listening to him speak softly. He watched her fall asleep on his chest happily allowing her to be comfortable any which way she chose. Danny held his wife close praying things would get better. Knowing that they still had to work on themselves. They had to rebuild their marriage as well as their house. He hoped she'd be just as ready, willing, and able as he was. Just like their house. They needed to start at the foundation and work their way up.

 


	18. Chapter 18

The following days Linda spent either in her husbands arms or with her children in _her_ arms. Sunday dinner Danny's arm stayed around his wife's chair keeping her close. Linda looked around the table at her family, grateful for each one of them.

"Do we each get our own rooms now?" Jack asked. He'd been anxous for his own room since him and Sean started sharing one.

"Yeah. We're seperating the basement and expanding it. Two bedrooms and a small room where the washer and dryer are." Danny said.

"What about Grace, Sam and Faith?" Sean asked.

"We were trying for their own rooms too but it looks like it's going to still be just the three upstairs. So the girls will share and Sam will get his own." Linda smiled.

"Can Jack and I have our own door to the basement?" Sean asked.

"Yeah. Then we can come and go and we don't need to bother anyone. Like it's our own place. After all, we _are_ the oldest." Jack grinned.

"You paying rent?" Danny smiled. Jack and Sean shook their heads, "Then it's not  _your_ place." Danny teased.

"But what about if we want friends over?" Sean asked.

"Think of it like the old treehouse. No girls allowed." Danny said to both of them.

"Not fair! Mom slept over when you two were dating." Jack rolled his eyes.

"Where did you hear that?" Linda asked him.

Jack looked at his Uncle Jamie, "I didn't exactly say that. I said your mom slept over in Aunt Erin's room." Jamie defended himself.

"But she still slept over." Jack pointed out.

"That was differant." Danny sipped his beer.

"How? Because it's mom?" Jack wondered why he wasn't allowed to do what his parents could at his age.

"Because I knew I was going to marry her." Danny kissed Linda's cheek.

"Figures." Sean shook his head.

"You see boys. Your mom may have been able to sleep over when she was in high school but it was differant back then. And as far back as I can remember your father, really did want to marry her. In fact the day he first went on a date with her he told your Grandma he was going to marry your mom." Frank explained.

"I remember Danny coming home the day he met your mom. It was all he talked about with Uncle Joe at the dinner talbe. The pretty girl he met in the hall at school." Erin smiled.

"That's all he still talks about." Jamie teased his big brother.

"I talk about other things." Danny grinned.

"No. Not really. Work and Linda. That's the two topics that come up most with you." Henry smiled.

"And with everything going on I don't think I've had a conversation with Linda that's lasted without saying something about Danny." Erin said wth a smile.

"Well I think it's cute. That after all these years you two still talk about each other all the time." Nicky said sweetly.

"I think I just love my husband." Linda kissed Danny's lips, "After all. It's not every day a girl gets to have her hero beside her."

"I think it takes someone special to put up with the hero complex a certain person has. If anyone has to do it, I'm glad it's you Linda." Frank raised his glass toasting the two of them. The rest of the family followed suit, even Grace raised her sippy cup in the air not wanting to be left out.

Danny held his wife just a bit tighter as he kissed her sweetly, "I love you." He whispered into her ear. Linda Reagan was a lucky woman. She had her husband, her hero, her protector, her love, beside her. Her children safely around her and her family willing to do anything for her. She sat quietly for most of the meal enjoying the quiet conversation among everyone. Happy to be home, safe and sound. They had a lot to do still but together they'd make it through.

* * *

That evening while the kids were asleep Linda sat on the edge of her bed. Her chest had minor burns from the CO2 being sprayed so close but it wasn't anything that wouldn't heal with a little at home care. She pulled one of Danny's t-shirt's over her head and crawled under the covers. She was so exhaused she felt as if she could sleep for days. Danny was downstairs talking with Frank and Henry about how Pablo could have gotten so close to his family and stayed so far ahead. So far Frank had found five more dirty cops that were helping Pablo along the way. He was ready to declair it not only an issue with the Reagan family but an issue with the NYPD as a whole. He'd make sure whoever helped Pablo was stripped of their badge and locked up. Erin had the DA on board with putting any dirty cop away for as long as possible.

Linda tried to close her eyes but every time she did she saw flames. Between the house fire and the bomb going off around her and Danny she couldn't shake the fire that flashed before her eyes. She tried to hold tears back but could only keep them coming for so long before she felt them slide down her cheeks. A short while later Linda felt the bed dip beside her.

"You okay?" Danny asked. He'd walked in the room expeting her to be alseep. He never dreamed she'd be in bed crying.

Linda nodded her head, "I just can't sleep." She said honestly.

Danny spooned up behind her and pulled her close, "What can I do?" He asked.

"Nothing." She said hopelessly, "I just can't sleep. And that's a dumb reason to cry." She said fed up with herself.

 Danny frowned, "Honey." He said softly, "Why can't you sleep?" 

Linda took a deep breath, "Everytime I close my eyes I see it. Fire. Everywhere. I see the flames in the house. Around us. Around the kids. And I can't escape it. And I know I'm safe. I know you're safe. I know the kids are safe. I know you're not going anywhere. I know I'm okay. But I can't sleep without that nightmare flashing before my eyes. it's stuck in my head and I can't get rid of it." She explained. 

"Then you need a new image in your head." Danny reached behind him to grab a small black velvet box. He had left yesterday with Jamie telling Linda he needed to get some things done for the case. Which was true. But he left out the part whre they were stopping at the store for a gift on the way back home. He handed Linda the box.

"What's this?" She asked. 

"It's after midnight. With means it's Valentine's day." Danny smiled happy he caught her off guard. he showed her the time on his phone.

Linda hadn't remembered. With everything going on she was lucky she remembered what day of the week it was, "Oh Danny. I didn't...I had no idea." She said, "I didn't think....I hadn't realized."

Danny kissed her softly, "You're the only gift I need. The only gift I want." He kissed her again. 

Linda smiled at her husband, "I love you." She opened the black box to reveal a small diamond necklace in the shape of an infinity symbol, "Oh my God." She breathed. 

"You once told me that I gave you forever." He remembered every word she said to him in that warehouse, "I wanted to give you more." He whispered sweetly, "I wanted to give you infinity. An infinity full of kisses and hugs. Soft touches and love. An infinity filled with the love of my life. An infinite number of 'I love you'. Linda Reagan you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. The best thing I've ever said yes to. I don't know what I'd do without you and I pray to God I'll never have to find out. I love you so much."

Linda gently picked up the necklace, "Danny. I love you. It's beautiful."

"You're beautiful." Danny kissed her again. Linda melted into her husbands arms letting him distract her until she wasnt scared of the fire behind her eyes. Until she welcomed sleep wrapped in her husbands arms.


	19. Chapter 19

As the weeks passed the twins turned one and though they still had no house of their own the babies were spoiled with gifts from each Reagan. With Henry telling Danny and Linda he was taking care of furnishing their new bedrooms after the smoke and fire damage to their cribs ruined them. February faded into March then April. The house was coming along nicely but it would still be months before they were done. The insurance money sat in a high earning savings account to gain as much interest as possible for when it was time to buy new furniture as needed. So far they had been pretty lucky. Most of their possessions were okay. But smaller sentimental items like Linda's necklace her grandmother gave her were irreplaceable and gone forever. Pictures were all backed up on an external hard drive and any important documents were in the fireproof safe in Danny and Linda's bedroom closet. They'd lost almost everything in the first level of the house. Coats and shoes in the hall closet. Sam and Faith's high chairs as well as Grace's booster chair. The dining room set. Everything in the kitchen. Some items in Sam and Faith's room were damaged as the fire spread to the floor of their room. But thankfully most everything was salvageable.

Danny and Linda had been going to Linda's therapy appointments together which had just made them stronger. It made them both see how they needed to work together instead of against each other. Danny didn't get so irritated when Linda called once a tour and Linda kept her calls to one and a text if needed. It helped them spot the weak points in their marriage and showed them how to strengthen back up as a couple.

Danny was back to work just as much if not more than before. The cases hadn't stopped while he protected his family. They just piled up while he was gone. Leaving him a lot to work on when he went back to work. In early May, Linda was off work early. Danny had called and let her know he was going to be at work late so she picked up dinner for both of them. Frank said picking up the little ones from daycare wouldn't be a problem while Linda surprised her husband for dinner. 

Linda walked into the 54th precinct walking directly towards her husbands desk. She frowned not seeing him there. She knew he was there because she'd called less than five minutes ago to vaguely let him know she was out after work and frank had the kids. Linda sat in his chair smiling as she saw his desk littered with family pictures. She picked up a small frame that held a picture of just Linda with a scrap of paper tucked in the corner of the frame. The paper was torn and crinkled. Linda unfolded it and smiled. It was her handwriting. He must have ripped that part off a note she left him at some point. The only words on the scrap of paper were _'I love you_ '. Linda tucked it back into the frame and set it down carefully. She looked up seeing Beaz walking towards her desk.

"Hey Linda." Beaz smiled as she sat, "Danny know you're here?"

"No. I came to surprise him." Linda smiled, "Where is he?" She asked, "I just called him before I got here and he answered his desk phone."

"Sarge's office." Beaz pointed to the closed doors, "He's just went in, probably right after you called."

Linda nodded her head, "Think I should leave dinner and go?" She wondered why Danny was talking to his Sargent. She hoped he wasn't in trouble. He wouldn't be in a good mood if he was being reprimanded.

 "I think he needs the dinner break when he's done in there." Beaz said as she unwrapped her own burger she had picked up to eat, "This case isn't a nice one." She frowned. Her and Danny were working a case of a missing woman. Her husband reported her missing a few days ago but all evidence pointed to him murdering her. They just couldn't break his alibi. The man was a Marine who from all accounts had an anger problem  he reminded Danny of how he was when he came home fro Iraq. The case hadnt settled well with danny at all. They needed just one more piece to nail the husband for her murder but his alibi was solid. 

Danny walked out of the Sargent's office over to his desk, "Hey you." He kissed his wife hello, "What are you doing here?" He asked not expecting to see Linda there. 

"I heard you could use a dinner break and was told you have time for one." She smiled. Linda took his hand in hers, "Come on. It's nice out still. We can eat across the street." She said knowing the small park was often filled with cops and their families trying to get a little time before or during shifts together. 

Danny sighed. He wanted to keep working but seeing Linda so sweetly smile at him and knowing she had already talked to Beaz she wouldn't let up until he ate. Danny nodded his head, "Okay." He out his arm around her waist, "Let's go eat." He lead Linda out of the precinct and across the street. 

Linda handed Danny his sandwich out of the take out bag, "You okay?" She asked him.

Danny nodded, "Yeah. I'm alright. Just the case." He kissed his wife's cheek, "Nothing to worry about. When you said you were running errands after work and the kids were with Dad and Pop, this wasn't what I thought you were doing." He smiled.

"Good surprise though?" Linda asked.

"The best surprise." Danny said, "Thank you for this." He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he started eating. Danny and Linda sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, "Linda, if I've ever lost my temper because of stress or because of a case...I swear to God Linda, I'd never..."

"Danny." Linda put her hand on his forearm, "I love you. You can be as sweet and loving as possible and then yell and argue and I even remember the time you put a hole in the wall. But you've never touched me with anything but love and kindness. You've never hurt me. I've never been afraid of you or your temper and even when we argue you always apologize for yelling and try to explain yourself without the anger. Not once have I ever thought you could possibly hurt me. Ever." Linda said, "As big and strong as you are, you've never done anything but protect me. Never would I think you could hurt me. Maria told me a little about the case. Just that it involved a missing woman and you think her husband did something to her. He's also a Marine and according to her reminds you of yourself. But I'm telling you that your arms are the one place I feel safest. I've never been afraid of you. You might have a few things in common with this person but you are not like him. Because you could never hurt me. I don't believe for one second that you could hurt me." Linda wrapped her arms around her husband and hugged him tight.

"I love you Linda." Danny sighed holding his wife.

"I love you. Now eat up so you can catch this guy and put him behind bars. Then you can come home to me." Linda kissed him sweetly.

Once they were done with their light dinner, Danny walked Linda back to her car. Making sure she was all set before watching her drive out of the parking lot. He knew she was right. He just wished he didn't feel so connected to this perp. Danny walked back into the precinct thankful for his wife distracting him long enough to gain a new perspective on the case at hand. That night when he would climb into bed beside his wife he'd tell her every reason he loved her until he fell asleep with her head on his chest.

 


	20. Chapter 20

Linda groaned softly. This was the fourth time in one night she'd woken up and it was only one in the morning. She'd had the weirdest dream over and over again. Each time waking up at the same point. No matter what she did she just couldn't get rid of the dream. Linda closed her eyes trying to sleep only to wake up twenty minutes later with the same ending to the same dream.

"Are you okay?" Danny sighed. If she didn't sleep, neither did he.

"I'm sorry." Linda rolled onto her back, "I don't know what's wrong with me." She mumbled.

"Do you feel okay?" He asked knowing that sometimes when she was PMSing she had a hard time sleeping.

"Yeah I'm fine. I just..." Linda trailed off, "I keep having this really weird dream." She shook her head, "And I keep waking up at the same part."

"What is it?" Danny yawned. He propped himself up on one arm to see her better.

Linda shook her head, "It's so stupid." 

"Tell me. Maybe if you tell me what it's about it will break the cycle and you'll be able to sleep." He said not knowing if that would work or not.

Linda looked up at her husband, "Okay, so it's normal to start. The kids and I are in the car and Sean is in back with Grace because she was fussy and didn't want him upfront. And we're driving along this busy road and a guy jumps into the car. Kicks the kids out and makes me start driving him around. But it's like we're running errands. I take him to the dry cleaners, to the grocery store, to return a movie to a Blockbuster which is really odd since there aren't anymore of those around, just doing things he needs to do. We end up at a car shop and he buys a new car and sticks me in the trunk. Then the dream flashes to me standing in front of a mirror but it's really a video screen of you and the kids playing. So I go to touch the mirror and everything starts to melt, then another flash and it's our wedding day but you're not there, it's just me in front of the church, then when I look up because you're coming into the church I wake up. every time. The same exact thing. Over and over again. And the guy is faceless. It's just a random guy that looks like he could be anyone. I couldn't even tell you what color his skin is. It's just a guy." Linda shrugged her shoulders, "I have no idea how to get past that part of the dream. It's so odd. I just can't get past it."

"Well, if someone car jacks you that's a big mistake and you won't be running errands with him since I'll shoot him long before he ever gets you near the trunk of his car. And not now or then or ever would I leave you alone in a church waiting on me." He kissed her, "Put your head on me. Try to sleep." 

Linda curled into her husband, "I love you." She said softly.

"I love you. Close your eyes and try and sleep. I'll hold you. Hopefully that will help get this dream to go away." Danny rubbed Linda's back soothingly hoping it would help her sleep through the night.

* * *

The following morning Danny woke up to a cold bed beside him. His eyes popped open looking for his wife. Danny looked around the room, not seeing her he pushed back the covers. Danny thew on a pair of sweatpants and a t shirt to walk down the hall. He peeked in the kids room but not seeing her he continued down the stairs to the kitchen where he heard her talking to someone.

"It is?...So when can we get in there?...That soon?...You're sure?....Oh wow....that's early...No....That's great...Okay...Thank you so much..." Linda ended the phone call. She gasped when she saw Danny behind her, "I didn't see you there!"

"Sorry." He smirked watching her jump slightly, "You're up early." He commented.

"I didn't sleep. I didn't want to wake you so I came down here and read for a while. Then the contractor called. He said they are ahead of schedule and as long as the weather holds out they should be done in a few weeks. We can move in by June instead of mid-July or August. Eight weeks. That's all we have left." Linda smiled.

"And in eight weeks we have a weekend alone with no kids, no parents, just you and I." Danny said already planning something special for their first weekend in their home. He walked over to his wife kissing her sweetly.

"I'm ready for us to have a home again." Linda rested her head against Danny's chest, "I love Frank and Henry but I just want us to be able to be  _us._ "

Danny nodded his head, "Me too." He smiled, "I want to be able to hold you and kiss you, touch you, love you, without looking over my shoulder for my father. Do you remember that one week when you ran away from home and you stayed over here, and we thought my parents had no idea because you stayed in my room."

"And on the second night your mom handed you a ready made plate of her lasagna telling you to bring it up to me since you only made cereal and sandwiches yesterday and a girl needs more food than that." Linda laughed, "They didn't even get mad that we slept in the same bed. They just made me call my parents and tell them where I was. And your parents said I could stay as long as I wanted. That they wouldn't force me to go home especially since I didn't feel safe being there." 

"I remember that Sunday dinner. I had to drive you home that night. That was the first time I saw you cry like that." Danny kissed her forehead, "God how I wish I could have protected you."

"You did. That week gave me the strength to go back. It gave me the will to fight instead of giving up." Linda said honestly, "You always make me want to work harder, fight longer, survive through everything when things look so grim. You make me a strong person." Linda breathed in deep as her husband held her close, "I don't think you knew ti then but I did. I knew you'd always be my hero." Linda grinned.

"I knew I was going to marry you. I was going to protect you. I was going to keep you safe and make you feel loved every second of the day." Danny grinned, "I just hope I've been able to keep that promise to you."

Linda tilted her head up to kiss his lips, "You've done so much more than just keep a promise. You've protected me from any and every threat that's ever come across our way. Even when we were our own greatest threat." Linda kissed him again, "I Love you so much Danny." Linda sweetly kissed her husband slowly wanting to make this moment last. She wanted him to understand exactly how he made her feel. How he made her feel loved, safe, secure, whole. Linda prayed that with the building of their house things would only get better from here.

 


	21. Chapter 21

A few weeks later the house was almost done. They were painting walls, putting large furniture into the spots they'd wanted, dotting all the 'i's and crossing all the 't's that came with rebuilding a house. They had an inspection scheduled for the following weekend. As long as everything came back positively, they'd be able to officially move in at the end of the month. Linda couldn't wait. She missed being able to sit in the quiet after the kids went to bed. Cuddling with Danny on the couch. Being in  _their_ own space. Danny's temper had gotten the best of him lately. Being cramped at his fathers house and under his eyes all the time was getting to Danny. He and Linda argued over everything the past week. From Grace staying home with Henry because she whined that she didn't want to go to preschool to Linda working late on a night Danny was working late leaving Frank and Henry to babysit until one of them got home.

Linda stood in the front yard of her almost finished house while Danny talked to the contractor about the final date. She leaned back against the car as Danny shook the contractors hand and smiled before walking back to his wife.

"One more week. Inspection then we can move back in." Danny walked over to Linda.

"Good." She smiled and nodded her head, "It will be nice to get back in here." 

"Yeah. We need the space." Danny agreed, "It's been a little stressful at Dad's." He commented.

Linda smiled, "Just a bit. We should probably head back over there. We don't want to leave them with the kids for too long."

"And we have dinner too tonight." Danny kissed Linda's cheek, "I can't wait until we move in." He leaned over Linda forcing her to lean back against the car, "Just think, we will be here for almost a week before the kids to get things settled and set up. That will leave us plenty of time to christen the house anywhere we want." Danny grinned.

Linda kissed him sweetly, "We have three days before the kids get there because between work we have to set up a whole house. Christening the house  _everywhere_ is pretty ambitious of you." 

"It will be a privilege to succeed at that goal." He smirked.

"You can try all you want. I'm just telling you know that I'm not so sure that dream will become a reality. Not in three days between both of our jobs." Linda giggled.

Danny kissed her, "I will do my best to reach it."

"If we don't stop making out like this, we'll miss dinner." She tilted her head back as Danny kissed his way down her neck.

"Won't be the first time we were late to Sunday dinner." Danny grinned, "Remember that time we were coming back from ice skating and stopped off in that empty parking lot?" He tried to jog her memory.

"Was that the first or second time you name dropped Reagan to get out of an indecent exposure ticket?" Linda teased.

"Second. The first was the time we got caught in Montauk." He smiled.

"That's right!" Linda remembered the time at the beach, "C'mon. We're going to be late." She said to him.

"Alright." Danny kissed her once again before letting her go. He walked to her side of the car and held the door open for her, "But after dinner you and I have a date in the bedroom." He pecked her lips.

Linda shook her head with a smile. They could fight for days but it all evened out when they calmed down and talked to each other. Linda was cautiously optimistic that once they were in their own home things would get better.

* * *

That night after dinner the adults were sitting around the table sipping their drinks and eating dessert. Conversation flowed from Danny and Linda's house to Jamie and Eddie's cases to Erin's latest conviction. 

"So this woman tells me that _all_ cops just think with their guns first and none of us are real men, we're all just playing dress up and trying to pretend to be superheros." Jamie sighed frustrated with a case he'd caught that day. The woman he'd helped was incredibly rude and condescending towards Jamie and NYPD as a whole, "But it wasn't like she was grateful for the protection or hard work. It was like she expected us to be there the second she needed us but it took her six months to file a complaint against her husband in the first place so how are we supposed to know there is a problem if no one tells us?" Jamie said..

"Sometimes you  _do_ think with your guns first though." Erin said, " Sometimes it's the anatomical gun but always guns first." She laughed half muttering the first part under her breath. Linda laughed catching what Erin meant.

"That's a  _men_ thing, not a cop thing." Linda giggled, "And it starts day one."

Erin cackled, "Like Brian!" She said which sent both her and Linda into a fit of laughter, "Oh my God! My side hurts!" Erin's face turned beat red as she laughed hard.

"See! It's not  _all_ men. It's men like Brian!" Linda laughed hysterically as tears formed in her eyes from laughing so hard.

"What just happened between you two?" Jamie asked not understanding what was so funny.

"Brian the bar guy!" Linda wiped her eyes.

"Wait! Wait! It was  _officer_ Brian!" Erin busted out laughing again.

"Who is Brian?" Danny looked between his wife who was crying while laughing and his sister who was so red he hoped she could breathe.

"Brian the bar guy!" Erin and Linda said at the same time.

"Every girl has a Brian the bar guy." Linda tried to hold in her giggles, "But Erin's Brian is the best."

All the Reagan men looked over to Erin, "Oh my God! Okay! So this was a while ago. I was out with some friends from work, and Linda was there plus some of the nurses she worked with. There was a whole group of us."

"Danny was working a case that he'd been working on for a while, because that's why we didn't call him and we called Joe." Linda recalled.

"That's right!" Erin smiled, "So we're all out with some friends and this guy comes up to our table. He's in a nice suit and he looks really good and put together. He starts talking about how we're such gorgeous women, why are we here alone on a Friday night. He's trying really hard to get one of us to flirt back with him. He asks us what we do so he asks us what we do and someone pipes up that we're all legal assistants or lawyers or nurses or one of Linda's coworkers was also in med-school for her doctorate or something but anyhow he tells us he's a detective with the NYPD." Erin told them.

"But at this point Erin and I know he's lying about something just by the way he's talking. Like he's seen cop movies but there's no way he's a cop." Linda laughed.

"So Linda looks over at me and says she's got this. She starts asking question after question about anything you can think of. 'What precinct do you work out of?', 'What department do you work in?', 'How long have you been a cop?' So she's asking all this stuff while texting someone on her phone under the table so he can't see it." Erin giggled.

"I was texting Joe because I knew he was working and told him to come over. Erin and I needed him for just a few minutes but it wasn't an emergency we just wanted to mess with this guy who thought he could pull one over on us." Linda smiled.

Erin laughed, "Now Linda's the only one talking to this guy and every answer he give us is..." 

"That's classified!" Erin and Linda erupted into giggle again.

"Finally Linda asks if he carries his gun everywhere and he said it's classified so she asks to see his shield and he says it's classified. So Joe walks over and Linda says 'Oh. I was just wondering if it looked like this one'." Erin cackled.

"I swear the guy almost peed his pants right there. And Joe had no idea what I needed him for so he's just standing there looking intimidating at this guy while Erin, the girls and I are laughing hysterically." Linda took deep breaths between giggles, "See, so Jamie, it's not just you."

"All guys think with their guns whether they are a cop or not." Erin laughed hard.

"And all women have a Brian story." Linda giggled.

"Okay. But isn't that abnormal?" Jamie asked.

"No!" Erin shook her head.

"No way!" Linda said, "I've been in the woman's bathroom and heard guys catcalling outside in the hall or trying to see who is up for a quickie in the stalls. Like that guy in New Jersey!" Erin and Linda laughed.

"That was the one that told you God sent him?" Erin asked through laughter.

"Yeah! That one!" Linda smiled. 

"What?" Danny asked not remembering this story.

"That was the guy that hit on me by telling me God sent him to me to recreate Earth with our children." Linda laughed, "Then when he realized he was getting no where told Erin and I, we were going to Hell for not believing in him."

Erin nodded her head, "This is also why women pee in groups. This is why you will never see a woman at a bar go to the bathroom alone. We have to make sure Brad the bar guy isn't being creepy in the hall to the bathrooms." 

"I can pee by myself if I'm out with Danny but that's because I know he's watching every step I make anyway." Linda giggled.

"You get a twenty-four seven bodyguard and I just carry my own gun." Erin snickered.

Linda laughed, "When we were first married and before he made detective I'd get up to pee or something in the middle of the night and Danny would open one eye like 'where are you going'?" Linda teased her husband.

"That's a man thing. Not a cop thing." Frank smiled, "I remember many nights while your mother was home with you kids calling to make sure she locked the house up before she went to sleep."

"Danny sends cars by the house if he's not home at night." Linda smiled.

"I have good reason to keep you and the kids safe." Danny put his arm around the back of Linda's chair. Linda put her head on his shoulder, "I just like making sure you guys are all right even when I'm not there."

"I know. And I know I complain about it but I understand so I just hear them drive by until you get home. I will admit thought it's nice to know there's someone keeping an eye on things. Especially after everything that's happened." Linda kissed her husband's cheek.

"I worry about you guys." Danny said honestly.

"I'd rather know I have two officers sitting on your house when Danny isn't home in case something happens than know that two officers are doing nothing while someone tries to hurt you or the kids while Danny isn't there." Frank said.

"I'd send them by the house when I was PC." Henry piped up.

"And I'm not exactly innocent of not checking up on Nicky and Jack when I'm in the area." Jamie smiled.

"I've looked out my windows and seen officers outside the apartment building many times and I know they are watching it for some reason. So I accept that one of you sent them over." Erin nodded her head.

"Well I for one am grateful. I'd much rather a husband who is over-protective and sends cops by the house than one who doesn't care." Linda smiled at Danny, "Besides the whole lot of you are just as protective as Danny. And even more so when something happens. Just look at how we've been staying here while we wait on the house." Linda said, "Only now instead of just Danny wondering why I'm up at night, Pop comes downstairs to have a drink or Frank is checking to 'make sure the house is secure'." Linda teased them both. She was lucky to have such a loving family surrounding her. Linda smiled wide as the men tried to defend their over-protective actions knowing no one would change a thing. Not even her. Linda loved the feeling of safety and security she felt around her family members. She wouldn't trade that feeling for anything in the world. She just hoped in her own home that sense of security wouldn't disappear without the extra Reagan's around.

 


	22. Chapter 22

"Damnit Danny!" Linda yelled, "Are you serious right now?! You promised! You said you had the days off as paid leave! You were the one that wanted us there a few days before the kids got there! Now you're too busy?!" She yelled into the phone. 

"Linda, it's work! It's actually important! Unlike putting furniture away and unpacking!" Danny yelled back. He had been stressed. Days away from home chasing an ex-con who was killing again had him on edge all week.

"So what?! Your family isn't important?!" Linda asked hitting below the belt with her question.

"That's not what I said!" Danny yelled.

"Really?! Because that's exactly what you said!" Linda sighed angrily. She had  _planned_ a whole weekend with no kids for them. She'd even gone through the trouble of making them their first meal they had when they bought the house. Pizza from the pizza place near Danny's old apartment and strawberries with champagne. It was just as much an odd combination then as it was now. But Danny had surprised her with the strawberries and champagne after they'd gotten the pizza. Linda thought recreating that memory would be a fun trip down memory lane for the two of them. Now Danny had to work and she'd be spending the first night in their home, alone. Linda was furious. He'd promised her. Over and over that he had the time off and there was no way he'd be working. Yet here they were. Screaming at each other over the phone while she stormed around getting her things ready to head to the new house.

"Linda, you're not listening to me!" Danny sounded exasperated.

"Yes Danny I am! You know what, just work. Just stay at work since it's so important. I'll just do the house myself. Like I do most everything else." She grumbled.

Danny sighed. He didn't want to fight with her. He knew family came first but so did his job sometimes. He knew this was important to Linda but he couldn't just leave a case because he had to unpack his house, "I love you." He said softly hoping it would diffuse some of the tension between them.

"I love you." Linda sighed before ending the phone call. She knew Danny was right. But she was so stressed, frustrated, and irritable it boiled over onto her husband. She felt guilty but she didn't want to call him back and upset him further. Linda packed the rest of her things from Franks house into the suitcase she was packing when Danny called to tell her he wouldn't be able to make it. Linda sent a quick text telling Danny she loved him and to come home safely whenever he was able to.

When Linda arrived on Staten Island she couldn't help but smile. The house was beautiful. She could tell it was larger than originally but it still looked like the same dream home she and Danny had found so many years ago. Linda unlocked the front door and stepped in. After disarming the electronic alarm system they'd installed to help Linda feel more secure when Danny wasn't home she pushed her suitcase next to the couch. Everything was taken out of storage and placed in the rooms it was supposed to go in but things needed to be unpacked and put away. Beds needed to be put together and linens that were in storage for months needed to be washed. Linda decided to start with laundry. She walked downstairs to start laundry figuring she'd let it run while she did other things around the house. She walked around with tears in her eyes noticing small things that had been changed. The basement was more finished off to include two bedrooms, and a small room where the washer and dryer were set. Linda and Danny planned on letting the boys use it as a den or space for the two of them to be able to hang out without the little ones running around. Both bedrooms were ready to be painted however Jack and Sean wanted them to be done as well as the third basement room.

The kitchen had more counter space and the dining room table they'd bought as a replacement was a little bigger to fit everyone more comfortably around it. The living room had more floor space for the kids to play and the coffee table they'd bought doubled as a toy box. Upstairs Sam's room was painted light and dark blue alternating from the lightest stripe near the ceiling to the darkest shade near the floor. It was ready to be decorated with the Paw Patrol decorations Danny had found at the store when shopping with Linda. She just nodded her head and smiled knowing that show was one of Sam's favorites to watch. Every time it was on the TV Sam looked around and called for Daddy pointing to the police pup every time he was on the screen. Danny thought it was adorable. Ever since that became a special thing for Danny to do with Sam when they were home. He'd even bought him a stuffed pup that Sam dragged with him everywhere. Faith and Grace's room was light purple and a soft pink with a floral boarder between the two wall colors. Teal polka dots accented one wall where most of the toys were going to be placed.

Linda grinned as she reached her and Danny's bedroom. She'd spent the most time figuring out what she wanted to do in this room. Linda had finally settled on a soft grey with blue undertones as a base color and painting the trim white with a hint of grey. Once everything was moved in and placed where she wanted it, she was sure it would be the perfect cozy bedroom for the two of them. Right now she  had a bed to put together. Linda switched over the laundry before starting in the master bedroom. She put the bed together, pushed the furniture where she wanted it and even started getting things placed in the master bathroom. A few more loads of laundry and their bedroom was almost done. A few small things needed to be placed and put out but she was proud of the progress she'd made. When her stomach rumbled she finally looked at the time. It was close to nine at night. No wonder she felt as if she was starving. Linda heated up the pizza she'd already gotten and stuffed in the fridge. She sat alone at the table eating a few slices before going back to working on the house. By midnight she'd done almost all the laundry and put together a bed for everyone. Linda was exhausted. She filled the tub up with hot water and some soothing bubble bath. Linda checked her phone for any calls before sinking into the water. She wished Danny was with her. She wanted to do this together but it looked like she'd be doing it alone for the whole weekend. Linda let her head roll back as she closed her eyes. The water soothed her aching muscles from being up and down stairs all night long as well as pushing around heavy furniture and putting things together. Linda made sure her phone was on the floor so it wouldn't get wet. She closed her eyes to relax for as long as the water stayed warm.

* * *

Danny Reagan could control his temper but being cooped up and cramped for so long was getting on his nerves. He and Linda couldn't stop fighting over the dumbest things and even his sweet children were getting cranky. He was so glad the house was finally finished and he could go home to his wife. Until a case landed in his lap that kept him at work for days on end, kept him busy, kept him from being able to spend the first night in the house with Linda. The perp he and Beaz were chasing was friends with a lot of people making hunting him down nearly impossible. Until he was pulled over by patrol officers for running a red light. The perp hadn't realized there was a BOLO out on him. So when he stopped for patrol he assumed he'd be on his way after getting a ticket. Not being arrested by two officers who had no idea who they really had in their custody. Beaz shoved Danny out of the precinct telling him she'd do the paperwork and he needed to get home. She'd caught the tail end of the fight he'd had with Linda earlier that night. 

Danny smiled seeing his wife's car parked in their driveway. He walked into the house locking the front door behind him. Danny looked around for signs of his wife smiling when he saw the strawberries and champagne in the fridge. Danny grabbed the bowl of fruit and champagne bottle to carry upstairs. He almost thought she might be sleeping. He didn't hear anything until he got closer to their bedroom. Linda's phone was playing soft music. Danny couldn't tell what she was listening to until he got close to the bathroom door which was cracked open. He smiled hearing one soft slow song end and their wedding song start. Danny peeked in the doorway watching his wife smile with her eyes closed. He tiptoed in the room carefully putting the champagne bottle down. Linda looked up hearing the noise of the glass hitting the sink counter.

"Hey." She smiled wide.

"Hey yourself." Danny knelt beside the tub kissing her sweetly.

"You're home earlier than I thought you'd be." She shifted slightly.

"Caught the perp." Danny said, "Enjoying yourself?" He asked.

"Yes. I am." She nodded her head, "I'm so sore. I put everyone's beds together and our room is almost done. I have one more load of laundry to do that I'll swap when I'm out of here." Linda ran through the list in her head, "Oh and some of the kitchen is done but not all of the kitchen." 

"I noticed that when I got us a snack." Danny reached over for one of the large strawberries and offered a bite to Linda, "Good?" He asked.

" _So_ good." She licked her lips chasing the juice from the fruit, "You going to join me?" Linda sat up a little.

"I think that's a great idea." Danny said eating the other half of the strawberry. Linda unashamedly watched as her husband stripped and slid into the tub behind her. Danny rubbed her shoulders gently, "I'm sorry I'm late."

Linda shook her head, "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I know your job is important. And I _know_ that sometimes it has to come first." Linda hung her head while Danny worked on the knot's between her shoulder blades, "And I know that arguing wasn't going to change anything. I'm sorry I yelled at you. You don't deserve that from me." She felt Danny press a kiss to the back of neck, "I love you so much. I think it's just so much stress hat I took it out on you and I'm so sorry for that." Linda apologized.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you either. We're a team. I will always think of you and the kids as more important than anything. I'm sorry about tonight. I didn't intend on missing it." Danny apologized, "And I'm sorry if I made it seem like work was more important. It's not. It never could be." Danny wrapped his arm around Linda's shoulders pulling her back to his front, "Linda Reagan. I love you." Danny angled his head to kiss her cheek, "I love you so much."

Linda smiled, "I love you more."

"I love you the most." Danny sealed his words with another kiss.

Linda blushed, "Are you home now for the next few days or just home until you go back to work?" 

"Home until Monday unless something major happens." Danny grinned, "Got the time off and closed the case I was working on."

Linda nodded her head, "Good. Because I'll need help getting shelves up the stairs for the kids rooms tomorrow. And you can help unpack." Linda grinned. She cuddled into her husband's arms until the she started to feel herself doze off. Danny drained the tub and took extra care in 'helping' dry his wife off. Linda shook her head feeling Danny's hands on her for no real reason. Just because he can touch. She felt his eyes on her as she just slipped on a thin nightgown for bed.

"Wow." He breathed not realizing he was staring.

"I had other plans but someone was at work today." Linda teased. She slid into their bed under the covers, "Coming?" She asked.

Danny nodded his head sliding on his boxers and tank top for bed, "You never cease to amaze me." He told her pulling her close to him.

Linda laughed, "Good. Hopefully that never ends." She yawned. She would love to follow through with her plan of seducing her husband but she had a feeling that she'd fall asleep any second now. Linda opted for Plan B. Go to bed, get some rest, get up early and seduce him with breakfast in bed. Linda cuddled close with Danny, "I'm happy you're home." 

"I'm happy to _be_ home." Danny kissed the top of her head. He felt Linda shiver in fear when the wind blew outside, "I've got you. The house is locked. The alarm is on. My gun is within reach but safely put up so the kids can't get it. I'll protect you. Even if it is from the wind." He lightly teased.

"You always do. No matter what. You always keep me safe." Linda rested her head on his chest listening to his heart beat. Linda fell asleep with Danny's arms and legs tangled around her.

She fidgeted as the same odd dream she'd had before came back. Only this time when she got to the part in the church the dream kept going. Danny walked up to the alter and kissed her deeply as Linda heard Danny's voice speak a well-known Bible verse. Linda woke up with a start and looked up at Danny who was subconsciously rubbing her back while he held her close in his sleep. She laid her head back down, closed her eyes and smiled as the verse still lingered in her head.

_Love. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends another story in the life of Danny and Linda. :) I hope you all enjoyed reading it as I enjoyed writing it! I've got some good ideas for 100 ways and some for another story to start. :) Thank you SO much for all the lovely words and comments and reviews! I love them all!! Thank you so much!!


End file.
